Don't neglect responsibilities to children with disabilities - Gender Minister tells parents

Children Disabilities Mrs Cynthia Mamle Morrison, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, has appealed to parents of children with disability to cater for them well and show them love as they could be a blessing to the family.

She said parents with children suffering from Osteogenesis Imperfecta, also known as ‘Brittle Bone’ disease were no exceptions.

Kaya Spirits Osteogenesis Imperfecta is a group of genetic disorders that mainly affects the bones, resulting in an easy breakage of bones.

Symptoms of the disorder might include a blue tinge to the whites of the eye, short height, loose joints, hearing loss, breathing problems and problems with the teeth, while complications could include cervical artery dissection and aortic dissection.

She said this when the Ministry partnered Ghana’s Ambassador for this year’s International ‘Wishbone Day’ celebration, Afia Ayeyi Yiadom Boakye, an eight-year old girl with the brittle bone condition, to commemorate the week-long celebration in Accra.

The Minister said even though no parent wishes to give birth to children with any form of disability, they should learn to accept them wholeheartedly no matter the conditions they are born with, adding that they are gifts from God for special purposes.

She commended the Ambassador and the Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) Foundation-Ghana (OIF-GH), for organising activities every year to create awareness about the condition, the contribution of persons living with OI and their challenges.

The Ambassador popularly known as Ayeyi, urged everyone living with any form of disability to be strong in his or her endeavour and persevere to attain something better in life.

She also appealed to the public to support the OIF-GH in various ways to help improve the quality of life of people living with the condition in the country.

The colour for the week-long celebration, which is from May 2 to 9 is ‘yellow’ and symbolises optimism and positive future.

Ayeyi, therefore, urged everyone to wear a yellow face mask in an initiative she termed, “mask it yellow” in the COVID-19 period to support people with the condition.

Wishbone Day is an awareness creation day celebrated worldwide annually on May 6, for people with Osteogenesis Imperfecta.