Tema-Ghana, Dec. 27, MNN – The Tema West Municipal Assembly in the Greater Accra Region has marked the International Day for Person With Disabilities (PWDs), people living with Autism, and Special needs at the forecourt of the Tema West Municipal Assembly.
Speaking at the event, Mrs. Clara Sowah, Head of Social Welfare and Community Development (SWCD) said the special day was set aside to honour, celebrate, and support parents who take care of their disabled children.
She said the theme “A Shoulder to lean on, I will, I can” is a message to tell the municipality, the willingness of the Assembly and SWCD to provide a helping shoulder to PWDs.
According to her, Autism is a lifelong disability that affects how people communicate and interact with the world adding that “autistic people have their own strengths and face varying challenges”.
Mrs. Sowah said “some autistic children and adults need 24-hour care and support. Others simply need clearer communication and a little longer to do things at work or school.
“Without the right support or understanding, autistic people can miss out on an education, struggle to find work, and become extremely isolated”.
Mrs. Dorcas Acheampong the Founder Autism and Special Needs Foundation said parents of children with special needs go through stress to support their children.
She however encouraged such parents not to give up on caring for the autistic child “as that child is also a blessing from God”.
“I continue to take a strong interest in autism provision and know many families who, like my own, are dealing with autism and what it meant.
“The Autism and Special Needs Foundation estimates that over one in 80 people in Ghana alone have autism and I believe that it is vital we continue to campaign and raise awareness of the condition,” she said.
She called for a greater community provision to end “intolerable treatment,” against PWDs including autistic children noting that people living with autism are treated “as if their condition is an illness instead of a fundamental part of their identity”.
Dr. Yawson Prince Etornam, a Medical Officer at the Divine Medical Center advised the public to avoid stigmatization of PWDs.
He said stigmatization arises from a number of factors including superstition, ignorance, lack of knowledge, and empathy, old belief system, and the tendency to fear and exclude people who are perceived as different hence citizenry should show compassion and love for people living with a disability.
He encouraged parents to be steadfast and show resilience when taking care of their children with special needs stating that “when the caregivers break down what happened to the person whom he or she is caring for.
Madam Hawa Sankara a mother of a beneficiary thanked the Assembly and sponsors for their kind gesture and urged them to keep helping the vulnerable because they have been neglected by society.
Over 100 PWDs benefited from the support and items included Bags of Rice, Toilet Rolls, boxes of sardines, kalyppo, pieces of cloth, and hampers.
