Cured lepers get bungalows in Ho

Ho, Oct. 19, GNA- Three four-unit bungalow houses have been built for cured lepers in Ho by the Community Development Concern (CDC), a Ho based NGO in collaboration with Cured Lepers Foundation of Holland and Ghana.

The houses form part of a 3.5 billion cedis project to build 20 of such bungalows for the lepers.

The first phase semi-detached houses worth GH=A258,800 (588 million) would accommodate homeless cured lepers, who have made a classroom near the Ho Polyclinic as their home after the pupils have closed for the day.

Handing over the keys of the houses to the first 10 beneficiaries, Mrs Joycelyn Oclich-Dotse, Executive Director of CDC and Assembly woman for the Bosompem electoral area in the Ho Municipality, said her outfit was moved by the situation under which the cured lepers lived and decided to relocate them decently.

Mr Hans Straver, a Retired Engineer and an Executive of CLF said his organization sought to accommodate the 3,000 homeless and very deformed cured lepers spread over seven communities around the Polyclinic in Ho.

He expressed regret about the stigma associated with leprosy and urged other NGOs to come to their aid. Mr Nobert Stanley Ahorlu, CLF Executive Director in Ghana, who is in charge of the project said the remaining 17 houses would be completed by April next year for release to other homeless cured lepers. Mr John Eleeza, Ho Municipal Director of Health Services in an address read on his behalf, commended the efforts of the NGOs and said the facility would be maintained well for "generations yet unborn" to enjoy.

He noted that many cured lepers sought asylum around the Polyclinic due to neglect by their relations.

The Director appealed to the NGOs to provide an apartment as a clinic where inmates could access healthcare to save them the trouble of walking long distances to the Polyclinic. He also suggested that a bigger kitchen be provided for the cooking of meals for the inmates especially those who could not cook.