Tema-Ghana, April 27, CDA Consult – Building specialised schools for people with Down Syndrome, according to Dr Amma Benin, Head of the Paediatric Department at International Maritime Hospital (IMaH), is one clear method for enhancing their potential.
People with this condition, as well as those with other special needs, she feels, are an important part of society and should not be overlooked or discriminated against.
She believes that corporations and donors should collaborate to create training facilities or foundations for people with Down syndrome.
Dr. Benin spoke at the weekly “Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility,” an initiative of the Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Office aimed at promoting health-related communication and providing a platform for health information dissemination in order to influence personal health choices through improved health literacy.
The Tema Regional Office of the Ghana News Agency created the public health advocacy platform “Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility” to research the aspects of four health communication approaches: informing, instructing, persuading, and urging.
Dr. Benin stated that the subject of the 2023 World Down Syndrome Celebration, “With Us, Not For Us,” was chosen to remind the larger community that people with Down syndrome must be a part of the work being done to ensure that they have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.
She went on to suggest that the families’ unity might serve as a support system for them to share ideas on how to care for their children as well as other pertinent information.
She went on to say that the Autism Society of Ghana was created by a parent of a kid with Down syndrome, and that in order for society to be fully aware of the disease, their families needed to take the first move.
The Head of the IMaH Paediatric Department warned against stigmatising Down syndrome families or parents, emphasising that it can happen to anyone at any time.
She also stated that certain children will be unable to attend traditional schools due to their intelligence quotient (IQ), highlighting the importance of the government developing such training centres in all regions for the instruction of children with unique needs.
Mr. Francis Ameyibor, Regional Manager of Ghana News Agency Tema, stated that “Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility” is part of a joint effort to build a way of communicating health information in order to influence individual health decisions by promoting health literacy.
He also mentioned that the Ghana News Agency and medical professionals will be used to remind the public that everyone’s health is important and should be a top priority.
According to Mr. Ameyibor, the health of parents, employees and employers, the general public, and health professionals should all be a concern for children.
He discovered that in order for a society to be healthy, everyone must be concerned about the well-being of others.
The weekly health discussion forum, Mr. Ameyibor, will also act as an important conduit of communication for health experts to educate the public on healthy behaviours and other general health concerns.
