Don't Waste National Resources On Movie Industry, Support Health Care Rather–Leila Djansi Tells Government

Ghanaian filmmaker Leila Djansi has questioned the importance of many calls by some players of the movie industry on government to support the industry financially, saying that that fund better be channeled to health care development in Ghana.

According to her, this is because “human life is far more important than making films that won't secure proper distribution. Filmmakers are not paying taxes either.”

The call which comes at a time Ghanaian filmmakers have been asking for government's intervention to revive the film industry is part of a new campaign by Leila against medical negligence and bad practices in Ghanaian hospitals.

Leila in a series of Facebook posts has been calling for sanity in Ghanaian hospitals, with emphasis on doctor-patient and nurse-patient relationships, as well as campaigning for good work atmosphere for health workers.

She created the impression it is not a big deal if government sacrifices the film industry to safe lives in the hospitals.

“Ghana filmmakers asking government for free money. Please let that be. That money should go towards our hospitals. I heard there are no basic supplies in some of these hospitals and the doctors say it is because their salaries are small, and the hospitals lack facilities that they have permanent frowns on their faces. It's why you can't ask them questions.

Human life is far more important than making films that won't secure proper distribution. Filmmakers are not paying taxes either. I'd rather have a working hospital and safe roads than a grant to lobby money from to make a film that will not go anywhere because there is nowhere for it to go. It's not been created,” Leila said in one of her long posts.

“Healthcare is politics. Taxpayers life, gambled with. No, I do not have any solutions. But I write this hoping to awaken some humanity. If you are in the position to donate equipment, supplies to our hospitals, please do! Can you volunteer your time, please do! I do, every year. Children's wards are my focus. Don't wait till you lose a loved one before you awaken. Ghana is for us. If it works, we work. If it fails, we fail,” she added.

“Jessica, Providence, Priscilla, Edem, Peggy, few of my friends who died within the last five years and what do they all have in common? Needless Deaths. Which was it? The doctor or the facilities? Many Ghanaians can relate to this. I've heard this mantra in Ghana many times when you visit a Ghanaian hospital and return alive, thank God,” the filmmaker also stated.