Disability Training Workshop Ends in Kumasi

Ghana today

06-03-2010 Disability Training Workshop Ends in Kumasi

Narration: The Network of Journalists for the Promotion of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa, Ghana Chapter in partnership with the Ghana Federation of the Disabled and Mind Freedom Ghana with support from the Disability Right Fund, have organized a one-day training workshop for some selected media practitioners across the country. The programme which took place in Kumasi sought to sensitize journalists on the urgent need to championing the cause of persons with disabilities through responsible media reportage. Isaac Asare reports for Ghana today.

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The training seminar, attended by journalists drawn from the various regions across the country was also geared towards the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability (UNCRPD) and the passage of the Ghana Mental Health Bill. The forum also sought to educate the masses and the media, a better understanding of the convention and the Ghana Mental Health bill and its related issues and also expose journalists to the fundamental human rights of persons with disabilities including the mentally ill. A Human Right Advocate and Past President ,Ghana Federation of the disabled, Mr. Charles Appiagyei, in a presentation, enumerated some underlying principles governing the convention, adding that the bill when successfully passed would help promote human dignity ,respect, equal opportunities and accessibilities as well as non discrimination of persons with disabilities in Ghana and Africa as a whole. Mr. Appiagyei said persons with disabilities are not seen regularly in the media and are rarely portrayed with persons with opinions on news and topical issues, stressing that, the plight, challenges and responsibilities affecting persons with disabilities have relegated to the background for years and therefore challenged the media as the mouthpiece of the populace to play a leading role in combating stereotypes, prejudices and harmful practices subjected to persons with disabilities to help empower them in all spheres. He recommended responsible media reportage on issues affecting persons with disabilities as one of the surest ways at which the rights of these persons can be respected and empowered. The Executive Secretary of Mindfreedom, Ghana Mr Dan Pylor stressed the need for the passage of the Mental Health Bill since it contains provisions protecting basic human rights, adding that most people with psychological disabilities are marginalized and are not accorded their fundamental human rights. He said the bill takes into accounts full human rights recognitions and protection of people with mental disorders and also ensure they are fully respected. More so, allocation of resources including logistic, finance and human resource are guaranteed and well catered for by the Mental Health board, unit and division that the bill will create. It will also recognize the role of traditional and faith healers to utilize them in mental health care through regulating the activities to ensuring that they conform to every letter of the law. Mr. Pylor revealed that under the new law, persons with mental disorders will be registered under the National Health Insurance Scheme to enable them access health care, emphasizing that mental health care shall be financed by the scheme. In accordance to this, parliament would also provide not less that 8 percent of the health budget to finance mental health care. In view of this people with mental disorders would be treated with the same standard as people without disorders. This will ensure non-discrimination in dispatching treatment to people with mental health disorders at any point in time. According to Mr Pylor, mental illness affects everyone and one out of every four people will become mentally ill at some point in time in life. He therefore urged the public to show love compassion for persons with mental disorders to help effect positive changes in their behaviour. The Director of Mindfreedom Ghana, Nii Lartey Addico, in response to some of the questions posed by participants, defined mental illness as anything that affects a persons thoughts, emotions or behaviour that results in a negative effect on the person or those around him. He noted that prominent among the several causes of mental illness are the use of illicit drugs and substances, depression, frustration, excessive alcohol intake among others and cautioned the youth against such practices. Mr. Addico also encourage the various district assemblies to also advocate for the integration of the mental health activities into their assemblies’ medium term development plans by making budgetary allocation to cater for their welfare and development. As a media representative from URA Radio, Bolgatanga, it is my fervent hope and expectation that the said bills would be successfully passed to ensure equality for all. I will therefore also entreat the public to picture persons with disabilities as part of the general public for disability is not a barrier to progress. The media on the other hand should also play a leading role in the empowerment of persons with disabilities and the mentally sick. Let us all promote the right and dignity of persons with disabilities and mental disorders in the country From Kumasi in the Ashanti Region this has been Isaac Asare reporting for Ghana today.