The Accra Psychiatric Hospital has said it will be reintegrating its patients into the society when the facility is downsized for a redevelopment project.

Under the Agenda 111 project of the government, the facility will be redeveloped into a new modern 220-bed Hospital within 18 months under the EPC Contract.

In an interview with JoyNews, the Director of the Facility, Dr Pinaman Apau, explained that the Hospital has a structure in place to ensure the reintegration process for the patients is done without major challenges.

“We just don’t take them back home but what we do is contact psychiatric nurses in the communities where the patient is being taken to. Our social welfare unit and some nurses would then take these patients into the districts for home where they are,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman Manu has dismissed claims suggesting the Accra Psychiatric Hospital has been sold.

In a Facebook post on Monday, the Minister noted that “it hasn’t been sold. It is to be redeveloped under Agenda 111 into a new modern 220-bed Psychiatric Hospital under an EPC Contract.”

“Tenders have been received and are being evaluated currently. Afterwards, it will go for VFM, Cabinet and loan will go for Parliamentary approval,” the Minister stated.

The Dormaa Central Member of Parliament indicated that staff of the Hospital might be relocated to the Pantang Hospital “to make way for the redevelopment.”

“The authorities will ensure that until, and unless all steps towards getting the contractor on-site are completed and contractor is ready to commence work, there will be no relocation,” he added.