More than 30 parents converged at the Multikids Inclusive Academy on Wednesday where seasoned physiotherapist from Physio Net, a UK based organisation, assessed their children.Physio Net offers help to persons with disability in developing countries.

The Special Mothers Project, an advocacy and awareness creation programme on cerebral palsy, took delivery of the equipment to support parents of children with cerebral palsy.  Ms Afia Owusuaa Nyamekye, a beneficiary of the equipment, said: “This equipment will help me to incorporate physiotherapy into our activities at home, we only go for physiotherapy once every three months and even then the numbers are overwhelming.”

Ms Mabel Asare, another beneficiary, said: “This chair is comfortable, it will now be easier feeding Fredericka, previously, I either have to carry her on my lap or support her with one hand and it was difficult.”

Physio Net and Farm4life collaborated to support the home-based rehabilitation and therapy campaign championed by the Special Mothers Project. Ms Heather Angilley, a Physiotherapist from Physio Net, advised the parents to take good care of the equipment to enable them to pass it on to other parents if their children outgrew it.

“We want to ensure that we give the right equipment to the right children who need it and also make sure that the equipment do not end up as waste,” she added. Mrs Hannah Awadzi, the Executive Director of the Special Mothers Project, said the support from Physio Net and Farm4Life would help families raising children with cerebral palsy to have continuous access to mobility equipment.

In Ghana many children with cerebral palsy are without any equipment support, resulting in the children often taking the wrong posture, which does not promote their healthy development. Mrs Awadzi called on the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to pay attention to children with cerebral palsy and urged her to engage the parents in policy dialogue for the way forward.