A sod cutting ceremony took place at the Ankaful General Hospital near Cape Coast, in the Central Region of Ghana for the renovation of the male and female specialized wards.

The ceremony coincided with the celebration of the World Leprosy Day where members of the Lepers Aid Committee, led by Rev. Fr. Andrew Campbell, S.V.D. were present for the celebration.

Dr. Benedict Okoe Quao, the National Program Manager (Leprosy) and specialist in charge of the hospital said, “the Ankaful General Hospital used to be a Leprosarium, and since 1994 became a General Hospital which provides care to the people in the district and also provides the specialised care to individuals affected by leprosy with complications.”

Dr. Quao further stated that “we have been crying for help as the Head Quarters of the program for resources, and today we are seeing one of them bear fruits. “

Rev. Fr. Campbell, on his part, said he has sent cured lepers from Weija and other leprosaria to hospitals, including the Korle Bu teaching hospital and the kind of treatment and reception the cured lepers receive were not the best.

Fr. Campbell said “we have to treat them with dignity. People are afraid to go near or touch the cured lepers. I have been involved with the cured lepers since 1977 and look at me, I am fine. So the cured lepers cannot pass on the disease to somebody else. So why do we treat them like this? Why?

Fr. Campbell further said that he was happy to cut the sod for the renovation of the male and female wards. He thanked Rev. Sr. Catharina Eunhee Ko (F.M.M.), a Franciscan missionary sister who has managed to get funding to be able to renovate the wards.

The GHs 300,000.00 project is expected to be completed in the next six months.

Source: Andy Manomey // Radio Angelus