Lawra, (U/W), May 31, GNA - The Lawra District Health Management Team in consultation with the District Health Committee, has directed health facilities in the area to endorse free of charge Police medical forms for victims of rape, assault and domestic violence. Dr. Sebastian Sandaare, Lawra District Director of Health Services, announced this when staff of the Lawra District Hospital organised an open forum to interact with members of the community, at Lawra on Saturday. He said observed that some victims of assault, rape and domestic violence, who reported to health facilities with Police medical forms struggled to have these forms signed by medical officers because the authorities demanded payment of a fee.

Dr. Sandaare, who is also the Medical Superintendent of Lawra Hospital, said that the practice was discouraging such victims from reporting to the Police for the medical forms. He said it also delayed the administration of justice for poor people, adding that scraping of the fee was to promote the fundamental rights of the people. Dr. Sandaare said that the National Aids Control Programme had initiated measures to ensure that rape victims receive prophylactic anti-retroviral within 72 hours from the time of the incident, to help prevent HIV infection. He advised rape victims to report early to the Police and health facilities for treatment to prevent contracting infections. Dr. Sandaare said that the Lawra Hospital has about two permanent doctors and three Cuban doctors and a safe delivery ward. He said that even though the hospital was working hard to deliver health care to the people, it was being constrained by inadequate staff, inadequate infrastructure and poor medical equipment. Dr. Alexis Nang-beifubah, Upper West Regional Director of Health Services, commended the Lawra District Health Directorate for its contribution to the development of health in the area. He said that the Regional Health Directorate would ensure the establishment of customer care unit at the hospital to deal with concerns of clients.

Dr. Nang-beifubah advised sick people to report to health facilities instead of going to spiritualists or administering self-medication. Mr. Cliford Atanga, Lawra District Deputy Co-ordinating Director, commended the health workers for their dedication to duty and pledged that the Assembly would continue to support them to deliver. Mr. Zikah Yiriyele, who represented Naa Puowele Karbo III, Paramount chief of lawra Traditional Area, thanked the Health Directorate for organising the ceremony to improve the relationship between the health workers and their clients. Mr. G. T. Maa-ire, a retired civil servant, called on nurses, especially those at the Out Patients Department to treat the aged with respect. The participants called on the authorities of the Lawra District Hospital to intensify security at the main gate of the hospital, fix the X-Ray facility, expedite action on the issuance of National Health Insurance Scheme cards. 31 May 10 Attention recipients, item 01 ends first cast.