As the global community marks Deaf Awareness Month and the International Week of Deaf People, the Gomoa West District Health Directorate has been commended for pioneering barrier-free, inclusive healthcare for the Deaf community.
The commendation was led by a prominent public health nurse, disability inclusion advocate, and Mandela Washington Fellow, Miss Gifty Akosua Adzigbey, in an official message commemorating the month.
Miss Adzigbey specifically lauded the District Director of Health Services, Dr Maxwell Yeboah Kyereh, alongside dedicated medical staff and strategic NGO partners—notably KEBA Africa—for their unwavering commitment to eliminating communication and physical barriers for Deaf patients.
According to the disability advocate, the collaborative initiatives implemented within the district are living proof that disability-inclusive health systems can thrive at the grassroots level when there is strong leadership and genuine institutional will.
“Your unwavering support has made it possible for Deaf people to access quality, inclusive healthcare without barriers,” Miss Adzigbey stated. “This is living proof that disability-inclusive health initiatives are working, and together, we are moving closer to our shared dream: the first Disability-Friendly district.”
Access to healthcare remains one of the greatest challenges for persons with disabilities in Ghana, particularly for the Deaf community, who frequently face severe communication obstacles due to a lack of sign language interpreters at public health facilities, medical jargon, and attitudinal barriers from frontline workers.
The progressive steps taken in the Gomoa West District are being hailed as a shining example of how decentralised health directorates can domesticate national policies and international human rights instruments—such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD)—into practical, daily clinical operations.
Miss Adzigbey pledged to continue her voluntary advocacy to ensure that the fundamental human rights of Deaf citizens are fully upheld in healthcare delivery.
“As a disability inclusion advocate, I will continue to volunteer as an advocate for the rights of the Deaf in my community until we get to the light where other districts can learn to emulate this fine example,” she affirmed.
Marked under the global theme for the 2026 International Week of Deaf People, “Declaring Deaf People’s Human Rights,” the celebration has drawn attention to the urgent need for systemic reforms across all sectors.
Advocates continue to emphasise that true inclusion in public health requires deliberate investments, including training healthcare workers in basic Ghanaian Sign Language (GhSL), deploying resident interpreters at major district hospitals, and ensuring patient education materials are accessible.
The Deaf community in Gomoa West has expressed profound gratitude to Dr Kyereh, the health staff, and partner organisations for restoring dignity and equal access to medical care.
Stakeholders are now calling on other Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and District Health Directorates across Ghana to visit Gomoa West, study its inclusive health framework, and replicate the model nationwide to ensure that inclusive healthcare becomes a universal standard rather than an exception.
SOURCE: DisabilityNewsGH.com
