The Medical Director of Pantang Psychiatric Hospital, Dr. Yennusom Maalug, has issued an urgent appeal for assistance following extensive damage caused by a recent severe rainstorm that struck the facility.
According to Dr. Maalug, the storm ripped off significant portions of the hospital’s roofing, with the Female VIP Ward 8 among the hardest-hit areas. The destruction has left parts of the ward exposed, raising immediate concerns about the safety, comfort, and well-being of patients receiving care in that unit.
Speaking during an interview on Channel One Newsroom, Dr. Maalug explained that the damage goes beyond the affected ward. He revealed that the hospital’s generator housing has also been impacted, alongside sections of the southern wall of the facility. These damages pose a serious threat to the hospital’s power supply system, increasing the likelihood of outages that could disrupt critical medical services and operations.
He further disclosed that hospital management has taken steps to alert key stakeholders and authorities in a bid to secure urgent support. Institutions and officials contacted include the area Member of Parliament, the Regional Minister, the Mental Health Authority, the La Nkwantanang-Madina Municipal Assembly, the Ministry of Health, and the contractor responsible for maintenance works at the facility. These engagements are aimed at mobilizing resources and technical expertise to address the damage as quickly as possible.
In the meantime, Dr. Maalug said the hospital has begun implementing temporary measures to manage the situation and reduce further risk. “We are getting roofing sheets to do some temporary works while we plan for a much better solution,” he stated. He added that the contractor had visited the hospital and proposed additional repair strategies that extend beyond simply replacing the roofing sheets, indicating that the scope of work required is more extensive and complex.
However, he emphasized that funding remains the primary challenge delaying comprehensive repairs. “It is all about money,” Dr. Maalug stressed, as he appealed directly to the Infrastructure Department of the Ministry to treat the situation as a matter of urgency. He called for immediate intervention to help the hospital restore its infrastructure and maintain uninterrupted healthcare delivery.
Dr. Maalug warned that if swift action is not taken, the damage could significantly compromise patient care. He highlighted the importance of restoring the hospital to safe, secure, and fully functional conditions, noting that mental health patients are particularly vulnerable and require stable, well-maintained environments for effective treatment and recovery.
The situation underscores broader concerns about infrastructure resilience in healthcare facilities, especially in the face of increasingly severe weather events, and the need for timely investment in maintenance and emergency response systems.
