It’s a bit vague…trying to get detailed information from
anybody is difficult. Nevertheless the
story is worth telling…
Ben is approximately 13/14 years old; I don’t think anyone
knows his age exactly (we came across a case recently where the birth
certificate failed to tally with any other official documents e.g. health
insurance card…and I don’t think everyone has a birth certificate).
Ben suffers from sickle-cell anaemia and stunted growth. Until 2012 he also had a very large,
disfiguring, abdominal hernia.
From an early age Ben’s development was slow. His father was convinced that the child was a
curse and Ben lived under the constant threat of “not living” (to write that
his father wanted to kill him feels extremely brutal though it is nonetheless
true). Ben’s mother feared for his life
to the extent that she took the precaution of taking him to live with his
grandparents here in Zebilla – a journey of about 10 hours by coach from Kumasi,
where they lived in her husband’s family home.
Thereafter, Ben lived, hidden away, with his
grandparents. He did not attend school;
he did not really leave this family compound.
Disability and curses are things to be hidden away.
In 2012, the District Special Educational Needs Officer (SPED)
from the Ghana Education Service (GES), together with the VSO officer, visited
Ben’s village where they happened upon Ben’s grandparents and their
secret. They were extremely shocked when
they saw Ben; both his physical and his mental condition were a cause for great
concern. Immediate action was
required. Of course, “immediate” in
Ghana can take considerable time!
Arrangements were made and Ben was taken to the hospital in
Bolgatanga for assessment and eventually a hernia operation. This was not an easy task given that neither
parents nor grandparents had money to finance this. There is a National Health Insurance Scheme
which covers basics (you have to opt into it and pay a minimal fee which most
families now do) but transport costs became a barrier. In addition, the operation required a medical
mesh (see note below) to strengthen the abdominal wall which was not included
in the health insurance and cost 150 Ghana cedi. Determined not to fall at this hurdle, the
team at the Education Office pleaded the case at the District Assembly and also
arranged a whip round in the Office.
With this support, the operation was completed successfully.
Ben was now in a much better physical condition. I’m not sure how the stunted growth or sickle
cell anaemia were treated but since they are much less visible Ben’s appearance
became within the “normal” range. It was
suggested that he might start attending school.
This was an enormous mental challenge for a boy who had spent his life
almost as a recluse. By way of encouragement
a bicycle was bought (again through generous donations) and gradually the
challenge was faced and overcome. Ben
now attends his local Primary School and is currently in Year 5.
I have never met Ben.
However, his story is widely told and is regarded as a great success
story here in Zebilla. And it is a great
success. My concern is that it seems to
be a fairly isolated success. When will
all these children with disabilities be acknowledged and loved?
Medical
Mesh
Since our arrival in Ghana we have read about a surgeon who
has been very successfully using mosquito nets as the mesh for strengthening
the walls around hernias. This is very
cheap and readily available but possibly not yet widely known. Here in Ghana the “mesh” is the property of
the doctor and therefore you buy it from him before the operation. He, of
course, will have to buy and keep his own stock of it in readiness. I’m sure a supply of mosquito nets would be much
more easily available. However, the
cynic in me (based on my observations of Ghana), suspects that the doctor might
be making a profit from selling the mesh and I wonder whether he would be
willing to forfeit this source of additional income? Let’s hope so!
No comments:
Post a Comment