By Michael Kofi Kenetey
The Nsawam Orthopaedic Training Centre, OTC is a non-profit organization whose mission is to enable the handicapped in Ghana, mainly children, to gain independent and productive lives. In order to make the lives of people who are physically challenged better at the Centre, the Australian Ambassador to Ghana, Her Excellency Berenice Owen-Jones has donated some items to the centre.
The Divine Word Missionaries started the Nsawam Orthopaedic Training Centre in 1961, founded by Brother Tarcisius de Ruyter, SVD. The Centre’s primary purpose is rehabilitating the physically challenged in Ghana and West Africa. The Centre has an orthopaedic clinic and workshop, a children’s department and a prosthetics and orthopaedic training centre.
The wife of the Vice President of Ghana, Samira Bawumia speaking when the Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, Her Excellency Berenice Owen-Jones donated some items to the Centre advised Ghanaians to do everything within their capacity to make the lives of others especially those who are physically challenged better.
Some of the items donated by the Australian High Commissioner to Ghana included wheelchairs, hospital beds, special shoes, and crutches, among others. Mrs. Bawumia also made a personal donation of fifty thousand cedis to the Centre, commending the OTC for providing rehabilitation and physiotherapy for the physically challenged as well as provision of training for Ghanaians in making special shoes, crutches and others for the centre.
The Eastern Regional Minster, Seth Kwame Acheampong added that he has been touched by what he witnessed and urged everyone to support people with disability, the less-privileged and the needy. He promised his constant support to the Centre.
The Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri and the Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh Dompreh showed his appreciation to the Australian High Commissioner to Ghana. He added that it will be his wish that the collaboration existing between Ghana and Australia extends beyond just the medical front but to other areas.
