John Dramani Mahama announces plans for three psychiatric hospitals

President John Dramani Mahama has announced that the government will construct three new psychiatric hospitals to expand access to mental healthcare across the country. The facilities are slated for development in the Ashanti, Northern, and Volta Regions, marking a significant effort to decentralize specialized medical services that have historically been concentrated in the southern coastal areas. The President made this disclosure during a Citizens’ Engagement Open Forum in Goaso, held as part of his two-day 'Resetting Ghana' tour.

During the forum, President Mahama emphasized the importance of mental health infrastructure in the national development agenda. He noted that providing these regional facilities will reduce the burden on existing psychiatric hospitals and ensure that patients in the middle and northern belts of Ghana can access critical care closer to home. The initiative is intended to strengthen the overall healthcare delivery system and address the long-standing neglect of mental health services in several parts of the country.

In addition to the infrastructure plans, the President called on the youth to pursue careers in critical health professions to help address persistent staffing shortages. He stressed that while building hospitals is essential, the availability of trained medical professionals is equally vital for effective service delivery. Mahama indicated that the government is prepared to support specialized training programs to encourage more young Ghanaians to enter the healthcare field, particularly in high-demand and underserved sectors.

President Mahama also addressed international relations within the health sector, stating that the government is open to reopening discussions on health cooperation agreements with the United States. He mentioned that the U.S. government has expressed interest in revisiting a previously rejected health pact, which could potentially unlock new resources and expertise for Ghana's medical system. The Citizens’ Engagement Forum serves as a platform for the administration to receive direct feedback from the public as part of its ongoing governance and outreach efforts.