Past students of Holy Child Senior High School (HOPSA), Accra branch, have extended a kind gesture to the Female Acute Ward of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital.

Since its formation 50 years ago, HOPSA Accra has supported the Female Acute Ward for the past 40 years with donations.

This charitable act has become an annual tradition for the association as part of its activities to mark the Christmas season.

The items donated included industrial supplies, provisions, toiletries, a microwave, underwear, sanitary towels, bedsheets, loaves of bread, chale wote (local slippers), and used clothing.

The donation aims to support the Female Acute Ward by ensuring patients have adequate resources for their recovery.

To acknowledge the dedication and sacrifices of psychiatric nurses at the ward, HOPSA Accra also presented gifts to the nurses.

These included rice, oil, tinned tomatoes, corned beef, mackerel, baked beans, biscuits, soft drinks, and half a piece of cloth for each nurse.

The items, worth 60,000 cedis, were intended to bring smiles to the faces of both patients and nurses during the festive season.

Sarah Duku, a Senior Staff Nurse at the Female Acute Ward, emphasised the importance of companionship. She noted that loneliness is one of the leading factors contributing to depression.

She further encouraged people to pay closer attention to their family and friends to help prevent them from falling into depression. She highlighted key areas, including the causes, symptoms, coping mechanisms, and warning signs of depression.

She also urged family members of mentally challenged individuals to intensify efforts towards their loved ones’ recovery and to act as a support system to prevent depression.