Some concerned parents of children living with limb deformities have called for an increase in trained teachers to enable schools to accommodate children with such disabilities.

They also appealed for the provision of facilities for such children in schools.

According to the concerned parents, despite the children’s eagerness to learn, many are denied admission to schools due to their physical condition.

This came to light during a visit by a team of UK-based orthopaedic doctors and health personnel of the St. Joseph’s Hospital in Koforidua last week.

Mr Daniel Kwame Okyere was one of the parents who shared his struggles with his 11-year-old daughter, who was denied access to school due to her disability condition, with The Spectator.

“My daughter is very brilliant with lots of talents, but she’s not being admitted because of her disability,” he disclosed.

He said it is also difficult and stressful accessing health care for these children with disabilities and appealed to government to establish more specialised orthopaedic hospitals in the country to ease the burden of parents.

According to Mr Okyere, currently parents are forced to travel long distances from towns like Tarkwa, Hohoe, and Takoradi to seek treatment at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Koforidua.

A prominent lady, who spoke on condition of anonymity, talked about the emotional toll on children with deformities and said they are often teased and mocked by their peers.

She indicated that, by the statistics of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), over 90 per cent of children with disabilities in low-income countries do not attend school.

“We are pleading with government for support and recognition to implement policies to prevent discrimination against children with disabilities who are normally referred to as ‘special children,’” she stated.

Dr Paul Ofori-Atta, an Orthopaedic Trauma Consultant and the President of MOTEC LIFE-UK, an NGO, advised parents to seek treatment from hospitals that specialise in specific conditions.

He said research has shown that identifying the right health facilities to seek early treatment helps the victims to live normal lives and reduces the burden on their parents.

The leader of the medical team, Dr Sanyan Adedapo, a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, stated that the team’s primary objective was to enable children with skeletal disorders or limb deformities to walk normally and also enjoy life.

He further revealed that MOTEC LIFE supports the project by raising funds for patient care, and that the medical team sponsors themselves for the exercise.

By Linda Abrefi Wadie

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