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Government plans to equip the centres hosting cured lepers across the country through the District Assembly Common Fund, this year.
The redevelopment project at the Weija Leprosarium, the renovations at Ankaful Leprosy General Hospital, the Laboratory for Leprosy and Skin Conditions at Wa and the Leprosy Clinic at Kokofu are just few interventions to support the centres to be fully operational.
The Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, made the announcement at a ceremony to mark this year’s World Leprosy Day at the Weija Leprosarium in Accra last Sunday.
He observed that the mission of the country to end the leprosy disease had faced several obstacles but the resilience had made the country successful in many areas.
Recounting some of the support offered to cured lepers across the country, the Vice-President said “We have distributed food to about 500 people affected by leprosy in the country this January, through the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF).
He said they included cured lepers at Ankaful, Weija, Nkanchina, Wa, Dorimon, Ho and Kokofu districts who benefited from food and medical supplies.
Dr Bawumia, who is the patron of the Lepers Aid Committee, further gave an assurance that this year “we shall focus on raising funds for a rehabilitation centre at the Weija Leprosarium as well as redevelop the land to support the residents of the centre.
Sharing his thoughts on the significance of the World Leprosy Day, Dr Bawumia pointed out that the essence of the day was to raise awareness of a disease which many thought had gone extinct.
On the contrary, he indicated that globally, there were about 200,000 people diagnosed with leprosy every year, and millions were living with the damaging consequences of delayed leprosy treatment.
The Vice-President said aside from eradicating the disease, the stigma associated with it must also be dealt with because many people did not understand that leprosy was curable and called for effective and continued education on the leprosy disease.
“There is no risk of transmission of that disease and this is what we must all understand as Ghanaians and as humans, that when you meet a cured leper, you should not be afraid to touch, kiss and to hug them.
At the event, Dr Bawumia cut the sod for the construction of a new kitchen for the Weija Leprosarium and donated an amount of GHC 100, 000 to support the construction of the kitchen.
The Programmes Manager for Leprosy at the Ghana Health Service, Dr Benedict Quao, thanked Dr Bawumia for his selfless love and always welcoming persons affected by leprosy.
He intimated that the presence of personalities like Dr Bawumia at the event was one of the big steps in fighting the stigma and not forgetting the disease and the people it affected.
Dr Quao further asked for expansion of the NHIS coverage to ensure that all aspects of care, especially the disability care for lepers, were covered.
He further called for the continued facilitation of the clearance of donated medicines at the port with waivers, the provision of resources for their clearance as well as the in-country distribution to people while providing resources to trace contacts for leprosy and other diseases such as yaws, to administer medicines that would prevent the disease.
The Auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Accra, Most Rev. Anthony Narh Asare, sharing his personal experiences when he first came into contact with cured lepers, said: “We have our various chasm and when you see that of somebody you have to support it.”
He praised Father Campbell for his support for the Princess Marie Louise Hospital and the Weija Leprosarium and said “much as we must kick leprosy, we must also change our attitude towards one another."
The Chairman of the Lepers Aid Committee, Rev. Father Andrew Campbell, expressed appreciation to Dr Bawumia and all others, including a former Chief Justice, Georgina Theodora Wood, Dr Joyce Aryee and Sam Okudjeto for their immense contribution towards the upkeep of the cured lepers.
