Australian Direct Aid Program, Salvation Army Build Modern Therapy Complex For People Of Begoro

The Australian Direct Aid Program (DAP) has supported the Salvation Army Church to build and equip a modern rehabilitation complex at a rehabilitation center for children with disabilities at Begoro in the Fanteakwa District of the Eastern Region.

The center which was established some 35years ago with 5children by a Salvation Army Missionary from England now takes care of about 9000 people with a 35 bed inpatient unit which treat children and young adults with disabilities. The facility also provides community outpatient services to children and adults with disabilities such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy, bone disorders, hearing lost, paralysis, visual impairments and any other disabilities. This is in the form of assessment, referral, daily therapy, provision of orthopedic equipment, on site integrated school for children with disabilities, support to orphans and disadvantaged students and support for formal and informal vocational/skill training.

Speaking at the event, Australia’s High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr. Andrew Barnes said, “the project will significantly improve access to and the quality of rehabilitation services at the center for the benefit of many children, their families and communities.” He added that disability issues are important focus of Australia’s development assistance efforts and by supporting the project, the Australian High Commission in Ghana gives expression to the Australian Government’s commitment to assisting people with disability to find pathways out of poverty and live full lives. “The Australian government wants to ensure that every person, whether they have a physical disability, a mental illness, whether they are women or from a remote community, all should have the opportunity to achieve their full potential as members of their community and of the Ghanaian economy and society more widely” he said.

He therefore called on government to institute social reforms and other support for disability programs.

Mr. Raymond Badu, the Center Administrator of the Rehabilitation Center said, “the mission of the Begoro Rehabilitation Center include in the ‘one army, one mission, one message slogan and it is to save souls and serve suffering humanity by providing rehabilitation services to children and adults with disabilities in Ghana’ and this mission’s realization is to seek to promote access and build independence for people with disabilities.

On his part, Mr. Gilbert Enyonam Avemegah, District Co-Ordinating Director of the Fanteakwa District said though the PWD Act 2006, Act 715 was passed some ten years ago, most public buildings are still not easily accessible by PWDs. He therefore urged Ghanaians to show empathy and respect for the fundamental human rights of PWDs and not sympathy.