The items, comprising a gun thermometer, veronica buckets, liquid soap, washing basins, tissue rolls, nose masks, and gloves worth GHC2,500.00, were to boost the Clinic's logistical capacity in fighting the global pandemic.

Mr George Bessa Simons, the Country Coordinator of BESSTEL Foundation, said his organisation and the Ghana-UK Mental Health Alliance remained committed to supporting the clinic and was hopeful the items would enhance work efficiency.  

"BESSTEL Foundation and the Ghana-UK Mental Health Alliance present these items to the Nsawam Prison Clinic with the hope that they shall help you prevent COVID-19 and stay safe during these dangerous times,'' he said.

"Both organisations remain committed to the welfare of your clinic and we look forward to doing more to make it capable of serving the community here".

DSP Adama Abdul Latif, Public Relations Officer of the Nsawam Prisons, commended the donors for the kind gesture and promised the items would be used to ensure the safety of staff and inmates.

He said prisons were among the high-risk avenues for the spread of COVID-19 as the confinement of the inmates made it impossible to observe social distancing protocols.

The risk was further increased by the overcrowding in the facility; adding that a facility intended to accommodate 800 inmates now housed more than 3,500 persons.

DSP Adama particularly expressed appreciation for the gun thermometer, which was in desperate need by the Prison Clinic to aid in detecting the health status of inmates.

BESSTEL is a mental health advocacy organisation founded by Stella Agyeman, a Ghanaian Mental Health Nurse based in the United Kingdom.

The Ghana-UK Mental Health Alliance was founded by Peter Hasler, a British Mental Health Consultant and Life Patron of BESSTEL Foundation.
 
Both organisations are partners of the Ghana Mental Health Authority and the South London/Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, UK.