People Living With Disability Demonstrate Against Government Over Poor Orthopaedic Services

Some persons living with disability in the Ashanti region have staged a protest against the government’s failure to build an orthopaedic treatment facility. The group says the government has over the years turned a blind eye in providing quality healthcare for persons with disability.

Leader of the group, Vera Kusi Asamoah, describes as disheartening the absence of orthopaedic treatment centers and ruined orthotics and prosthetics facilities. Members of the group in their prosthetic legs, chopard shoes, clippers and wheelchairs marched through some principal streets of Kumasi to register their displeasure against the government.

Clap in red, the exercise was tough but members say the pressing issues demanded the action. They presented a petition to the Ashanti regional minister and Ashanti regional director of health services. Regional Health Director, Dr. Emmanuel Tenkorang, says the only center at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital is not good for purpose.He acknowledged managing orthopaedic cases is very challenging.

“Kath is already choked and managing orthopaedic cases is challenging so we have sent letters to director general of health services to grant us permission to convert the old Bekwai hospital into orthotics and prosthetics center whilst we consider using the one of facilities under agenda 111 as Orthopaedic treatment center”. He added. The leader of the group, Vera Kusi Asamoah, says movement is difficult without the equipment.

“The facility is dilapidated with rusted equipments, in fact undeserving,” she bemoaned. The old facility is without proper chairs and beds for patients, who sit on a bench to undergo procedures to get their clippers and prosthetic legs. A situation they say affects their spine. The group claims the situation is not different from other centers at Gyachie, Cape Coast, Ho and Tamale.