Ghana Federation of Persons With Disability (PWDs) Organization has attributed the continue stigmatization of persons with disability to health professionals unprofessional conduct.
The federation said some health workers in the country are aiding the society to stigmatized PWDs.
The federation put much of the blame on medical doctors whose comments against disabilities gives credence to the wide spread notion that PWDS cannot do anything for themselves.
The National Communication Director of the federation, Mr Adam Abdul Whaba told journalists during media briefing on a research findings in Tamale that, Doctors at the various health facilities create negative perception that anybody who has part of him or her body amputated is incapacitated.
That perception he said has created a lot stigmatization and leading to persons with disabilities being isolated in the Society. The research dubbed; ‘Stigma Research’ main focus on access to sexual and reproductive health of disabilities in Ghana.
The research he explained was termed stigma due to negative perception fueled by the posturing of health workers.
We found out that, some health workers still asked female disable persons who are pregnant why they are pregnant and wonders why they don’t pit yourself, Mr Wahab lamented.
Some health workers he said still believe that disability is contiguous disease and for that attending a disable person could lead to contracting his or her condition, Mr Wahab stated.
The findings revealed that in spite of the federation’s engagement with health workers, some health workers made PWDs to loss confidence fro themselves as a result of unfortunate comments of some health workers.
It further reveals that many facilities in Ghana are still not accessible to persons with disabilities contrary to the disability Act which provided all buildings should accessible and available.
About 90% of public buildings in Ghana are still not accessible to persons with disability, Mr Wahab added.
Mr Wahab alleged that some health workers still cannot keep secret or stick to their ethics by respecting patients rights and privacy.
He suggested that the Ghana health service set or create persons with disabilities desk in all health centers to avoid continue decrimination .
There is the need for amendment of PWDs act to conform with UN convention. Policy makers and successive governments Mr Wahab said have considered disability issues as an after thought.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.