By Abigail Wiafe
The phenomenon of parading sick people on the streets, traffic lights, and major intersections, especially in Accra, is growing rapidly in recent years. These sick people are usually accompanied by fundraising volunteers who use megaphones to solicit for funds to seek medical care for them. In doing so, these persons are left at the mercy of the weather. From physical disability to body or facial swellings, commuters are increasingly exposed to various medical conditions daily, often without caution, all in an effort to evoke public sympathy.
On the bustling streets of the capital, Accra, where the chaos of daily life unfolds, an unsettling sight has become all too common. Persons with visible illnesses or disabilities sit at busy intersections, with fundraising volunteers holding medical reports, placards, and bowls, among others, pleading for help from the public. With a megaphone loud enough to be heard by all, they often share heart wrenching stories directed at the conscience of people who find themselves in the vicinity. With the tagline, no amount is too small; people are compelled to assist financially if they are in a position to do so.
Although one may argue that the practice does not only worsen the plight of the sick but also their dignity, funding volunteer Nat Tetteh believes otherwise.
‘’There are people like that with severe cases like ”whole in heart” which cost over a hundred thousand Ghana Cedis, and they are in the hospitals and no one is helping. But when we bring them outside like this, it’s not like we go there but when they come to us and we bring them outside like this they get the help that they want. And when you get to the hospital for an interview and all, they will tell you some people die because they are not able to foot the money required for their surgery or medication. Some will complain and be like, it is not real, it is not true, it is not real, it is not true. That one, it is up to them.’’
But what are the views of the commuting public on this phenomenon? Here are some insights from some individuals.
“They are going around looking for people who are sick and vulnerable. At the end of the day, they will give the person only fifty Ghana cedis, and they will take the chunk of the money. They will never do any surgery, they will never pay for the person’s healing and fees. The government should take those people from the streets.”
“It’s supposed to be under Gender Protection and all that so that they can be regulated properly. Because of this one, we don’t even know whether when they take the money they use it for the right thing or not. Recently, there was a woman with a big forehead; today there is someone breathing through her nose.”
Are there legalities to the practice of street begging, particularly by individuals suffering from severe illnesses?
A Former Deputy Director in Charge of Child and Family Welfare Division of the Social Welfare Department, Fred Sakyi, stated that District Assemblies have the authority to regulate and control the situation. He advised the sick and vulnerable to always seek assistance from the Social Welfare Department when the need arises.
“Begging is not allowed in this country. So what the law is saying is that, if someone is destitute or someone is vulnerable and needs support, that person should use the appropriate procedure of reporting to the Social Welfare Department for the necessary intervention to be done. But if someone moves to the streets to beg, the law makes it clear that such person should be arrested by the Police and when they are arrested by the Police, the police will work closely with the Social Welfare Department. Social Welfare will have to conduct investigation into the background of such person, and once they have conducted an investigation they can now declare whether those people are destitute or have a family, and so on or so forth.”
For volunteers, including Nat Tetteh, addressing the needs of such sick persons calls for the collaborative efforts of all, especially the media and the Department of Social Welfare.
“So I will also plead that the government, Social Welfare, Ghana Health, if there could be anything like, we will help you, cure you, treat you, and then you will pay on installments for a longer duration, not just one-year installments. But you as the media can also help us in a way of airing the situations that go on in the hospitals.”
Various organisations, including the United Nations, often highlight broader issues such as poverty, inadequate healthcare, and homelessness, which can lead individuals, including those with health conditions, to be forced to beg for survival.
In Ghana, people with physical and mental disabilities, chronic illnesses, or other health conditions may face significant challenges in accessing healthcare. This is the more reason there are calls for government to formulate policies to tackle this growing menace. The time to act is now.
