Hannah Awadzi from the Special Mothers Project at the Health Ministry
Special Mothers Project is a non-governmental organization in Ghana that advocates and helps in creating awareness about cerebral palsy. The organisation has called on the government to initiate a national dialogue on cerebral palsy, a dialogue the organisation stresses is not only needed, but long overdue:
“Having a national dialogue about cerebral palsy will go a long way to help Ghana have a favourable policy especially for children with the condition,” the organisation claimed.
Hannah Awadzi, founder of the Special Mothers Project and a mother of a child with CP, spoke with Dr Victor Asare Bampoe, Deputy Minister of Health, to discuss issues and concerns of these mothers in relation to responses towards CP.
She said there is an urgent need for a favourable policy on cerebral palsy and that more awareness needed to be created at a national level on issues concerning these persons, highlighting how enormous gaps persist in the national scenario:
“The month of March has been designated as the Cerebral Palsy awareness month by civil society groups around the world, [but] in Ghana, very little awareness have been created on CP.”
The situation in Ghana remains one of fragmented policy awareness, absent services and overall, few opportunities for children with CP in the country. The NGO has been active in highlighting these concerns to authorities, and in seeking some or other policy commitment, advocacy motivated by dire needs and circumstances. Mothers, without any support are often driven to abandon their children or are forced to live isolated lives.
Mrs Awadzi expressed appreciation to the deputy Minister for granting her an audience, while calling on the media to show more interest in cerebral palsy issues.
Dr Bampoe pledged the Ministry’s continuous support for the project, saying the Ministry of Health’s doors are opened for further discussions.
