According to Ghana News Agency:ccording to Ghana News Agency, Mr Sefa made this appeal during a sensitisation event held at Dandafuro, a community in the Wa Municipality. The event was organized by the Upper West Regional office of the Department of Children, in collaboration with the Wa Municipal Departments of Social Welfare and Community Development. It was part of the Holistic Development of Visually Impaired Children (HODVIC) programme, which is being implemented in six districts across Ghana.
The HODVIC programme, funded by Visio International in partnership with the Presbyterian Health Services, aims to empower and facilitate the integration of visually impaired children into society and educational institutions. The event also included eye screening for children in the community to enable early detection and treatment of eye conditions.
Mr Sefa emphasized the importance of the public refraining from discriminating against children with visual impairments and their families. He appealed to the community to use any available platform to sensitize and support parents, caregivers, and the children themselves.
Madam Matilda Chireh, the Upper West Regional Director of the DoC, urged community leaders to embrace the programme to maximize its benefits. Meanwhile, Madam Sangkpi Daanu, a parent with visually impaired children, shared her personal challenges and expressed gratitude for the support extended by the Department of Children and its partners.
In addition, Madam Janet Balabo, a Midwife at the Kpongu Health Centre, highlighted that visual impairment can be caused by Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) during pregnancy. She urged expecting mothers to take Antenatal care seriously to prevent blindness in their children.
