The Ghana Federation of Disability Organisation (GFD) has said that it had been excluded in the Ghana government’s coronavirus pandemic response for persons with disabilities.
According to the federation, even though the government had announced a package for some 10,435 persons with disabilities, “the statement appeared vague. No concrete measures were outlined to ensure the safety and protection of persons with disabilities as was done for some categories of vulnerable groups like ‘kayayei’ “.
The Federation of Disability is an umbrella organisation of nine disability groups including the Ghana Blind Union, Ghana National Association of the Deaf, Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled and the Mental Health Society of Ghana.
In a statement issued and signed by the president of the federation, Mr Mawunyo Yakor-Dagbah, the organisation noted that its members were at high risk of contracting the virus due to barriers in accessing prevention information and hygiene and reliance on physical contacts through the support of persons to move about.
The statement said information about infection mitigating tips, public restriction plans and the services offered in this critical moment were not accessible and available to all categories of persons with disabilities.
The Federation further appealed to the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection to give details of the support intended for persons with disabilities.
