A disability advocate, Ms Otiko Afisah Djaba, , has called on the government to pay attention to challenges faced by mothers of children with cerebral palsy (CP).
“These mothers go through a lot of stress and frustrations and I fear for a future where the mothers may not be there and the children are left to die,” she said.
Ms Djaba, who is also the Founder of Henry Djaba Foundation, a non-governmental organisation focusing on the vulnerable, made the call when she hosted some mothers of children with CP as part of the World Cerebral Palsy Day.
The World CP Day is celebrated on the 6th of October annually to draw attention to issues affecting people with the disorder.
This year’s celebration is on the theme: “Millions of Reasons”, which calls on people to celebrate persons with cerebral palsy for the millions of reasons they need to be celebrated.
Madam Djaba said the government should create rehabilitation centres and ensure that schools implemented the Inclusive Education Policy, where no child would be left behind.
She said government must also work on creating a good social support system with trained caregivers to help families with children with the disorder.
Ms Emelia Gynkel Bawa, an Executive Member of the Special Mothers Project, an advocacy programme on cerebral palsy issues, called on government to include the medications given to those children in the National Health Insurance Scheme.
She called on the public to show empathy and accept children with cerebral palsy, saying: “Those children are not cursed, they are blessed and need to be loved.”
Cerebral Palsy is a congenial disorder of movement, which is not contagious, and affects more than 17 million people worldwide.
BY TIMES REPORTER
