Pantang admits more people with substance and alcohol abuse

The Pantang Hospital recorded an increase of 88 percent in the number of patients admitted for substance abuse between 2007 and 2008.

According to Mrs. Anna Dzadey, acting Medical Officer at the Hospital, the number of patients admitted for alcohol abuse increased by 43 percent during the period. She said total Outpatient Department (OPD) attendance this year was 28,101 made up of 11, 995 physical and 16,106 psychiatric cases. She indicated that given the increasing number of alcohol and illicit substance users, the Hospital might expect more clients with addiction problems seeking help in psychiatric hospitals.

“We are prepared to help patients, but it should be the primary concern of policy makers to address this need as soon as possible. The World Health Organisation report in 2002 indicated that four percent of the global burden of diseases and 3.2 percent of all deaths were attributed to alcohol. Yet we see alcohol being prepared and sold almost everywhere and even young children can buy it without a problem,” she said.

According to Mrs. Dzadey, patients referred to the Hospital by court for observation, evaluation and treatment were often forgotten by the authorities and they became a burden on the Hospital. She noted that the Hospital had 121 patients who had been on admission for more than two years, 70 percent of them without any traceable families.

Mrs. Dzadey said the Hospital would establish a special ward for the rehabilitation of patients with substance addiction problems, as well as intensify the activities at the Department of the Rehabilitation of Chronic Patients

In a speech read on his behalf, the acting Director of Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Daniel Yayemain said even though brain drain in the health sector was still a problem, mental health workers continued to show a high level of commitment. Mr. Sory, the Director General of the GHS noted “mental health workers throughout the country have demonstrated that it is possible for all health workers to put in an extra effort when the right kind of leadership is demonstrated.”

Adapted and sourced from Leticia Ohene-Asiedu Daily Graphic, Friday, December 19, 2008