By Solomon Gumah
Tamale, May 23, GNA â The Centre for Research and Development Alternatives (CREDA) has called on government to address barriers hindering inclusive public service delivery to ensure equitable access to education and healthcare for persons with disabilities (PWDs) across the country.
The call was made during a public services improvement dialogue organised by CREDA, with support from the STAR Ghana Foundation, to disseminate findings from a citizens-led monitoring exercise on education and health service delivery for PWDs in eight districts of the Northern Region.
The dialogue formed part of efforts to promote equitable access to quality education and healthcare services and to ensure that no one is left behind in national development.
The assessment covered the Tamale Metropolis, Yendi, Savelugu, Karaga and Gushegu Municipalities, as well as Kumbungu, Saboba and Nanumba South Districts.
Mr Abukari Iddrisu, Programmes Manager at CREDA, presenting the findings in Tamale, said the exercise sought to generate evidence to inform policy decisions and improve service delivery in schools and health facilities.
He said the study assessed the physical accessibility of infrastructure, availability of resources for inclusive service delivery, professional capacity of staff, and the level of social inclusion of PWDs within school and health facility communities.
Mr Iddrisu explained that the methodology involved purposive sampling of facilities, face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires, and analysis through descriptive statistics.
He said enrolment of PWDs in schools remained low, while progression beyond the primary level continued to be a challenge.
âPhysical access to school facilities continues to be a major barrier, with about 60 per cent of schools lacking ramps, while more than 90 per cent do not have adjustable furniture to meet the needs of PWDs,â he said.
He added that although many teachers had received training in inclusive pedagogy, about 76 per cent of schools reported that teachers lacked the resources to effectively deliver inclusive education.
Mr Iddrisu said learning outcomes were further affected by communication barriers, noting that about 85 per cent of schools lacked appropriate communication systems to support PWDs.
The report recommended intensified community sensitisation to encourage parents to enrol PWDs in schools, strict enforcement of regulations on disability-friendly infrastructure, and improved teacher capacity in special education.
It also called for stronger collaboration between schools and external partners, including non-governmental organisations, health institutions, and community-based organisations, to mobilise technical and financial support for enrolling PWDs in formal education.
On the health sector, the report emphasised the need for disability-friendly facilities to improve access to healthcare services.
It recommended strengthening staff capacity on disability issues, periodic in-service training in sign language, enhanced collaboration with development partners to access critical resources, and improved feedback systems to assess client satisfaction and service delivery.
Mr Frederick Nuuri-Teg, Projects Manager at the STAR Ghana Foundation, reiterated the organisationâs commitment to supporting initiatives that promote equitable access to social services for holistic national development.
Alhaji Mohammed Abdul-Majeed, Savelugu Municipal Director of the Ghana Education Service, commended CREDA and the STAR Ghana Foundation for the initiative, saying the partnership would strengthen advocacy and improve service delivery, especially for marginalised groups.
GNA
Edited by Eric K. Amoh/Lydia Kukua Asamoah