Francisca Soshie who has hearing and vision impairments is appealing to the public for support to procure a pair of hearing aids to help her fit into society.
Her education is in limbo as she is unable to listen and understand lessons during classes.
Diagnosed with damaged eardrums, Francisca needs a pair of hearing aids worth GH₵10,600, to improve her hearing.
Francisca Soshie lives with some 21 other persons living with vision and hearing impairments at the New Horizon Foundation of the Blind Centre in Ho in the Volta region.
Born partially deaf, she lost her vision after writing her Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), plunging her life into difficulties.
This development left her retarded, as she was confined in her home community of Akame in the Volta Region.
“After writing BECE, one day I was washing when my eyes went blind. I couldn’t see again “, she narrated.
Hearing of her unfortunate story, and her father’s inability to support her, Francisca was brought to the Centre in Ho, to enable her access to education.
However, Francisca’s learning abilities are being impeded as she gradually loses her hearing, coupled with the vision impairment.
The Founding Director of the New Horizon Foundation of the Blind Centre, Eric Kwabla Ofori explained that the double agony of Francisca is a great cause of worry.
He stressed that though she is enthusiastic about learning, her impairments are making it difficult for her to grasp what she is being taught.
“We are now training her on how to read and write braille and then the use of the computer, because it’s very useful, very useful when it comes to your inclusivity because that is the tool that you can use to be included in the system.
“So when she is being trained, the teacher has to make a lot of effort before she can pick something. When you ask her, she says ‘Yes I can hear but I don’t know what it is all about’”, he said
After undergoing examinations at the Audiological Assessment Centre at the Ho Teaching Hospital, she was diagnosed with significant hearing loss, due to damaged eardrums.
The clinical Audiologist at the unit, Kplola Ahiatorwor said “Her problem is coming from both the middle ear and the inner ear”, hence proposing a corrective surgery, which cost about Twenty Thousand Ghana Cedis
However, after considering the financial status of the patient, he suggested procuring a pair of behind-the-ear hearing aids to enhance Francisca’s hearing.
Unfortunately, Francisca and her family are unable to raise the GhC10,600 to procure the recommended hearing aids. She is therefore appealing to the general public to support her.
“They took me to the hospital, then the doctor said my ear was damaged, so I need hearing aids, so I need help, or I need someone to help me”, she appealed.
Until help comes, Francisca will continue to struggle with her studies and find it more challenging to fit into society.
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) is set to launch a crucial polio vaccination campaign aimed at safeguarding young children from the debilitating disease.
The campaign will target children from newborns to five years old in select areas of Greater Accra, spanning nine districts in the region.
It is scheduled to run from February 27 to March 2, 2025, with health professionals reaching out to various locations, including homes, lorry stations, markets, schools, and churches, to ensure comprehensive coverage.
Deborah Noble-Yorke, the Health Promotion Officer in the Ablekuma South District, confirmed the campaign in an interview with Adom News.
She emphasized the importance of the initiative, stating, “We are committed to ensuring that every child is protected from polio, and this campaign is critical in reaching those who may have missed out during last year’s efforts.”
Noble-Yorke also noted that the previous campaign faced challenges, with some schools and parents refusing to allow health professionals to vaccinate their children, leaving some children unvaccinated. This has led to the reinitiation of the campaign.
“The success of this campaign depends on the cooperation of parents, school leaders, and community members,” Noble-Yorke urged. “We urge all parents to bring their children forward for the vaccination. It is essential for the well-being of our children and for the collective health of our communities.”
The districts included in the vaccination drive are Ablekuma North, Ayawaso West, Ayawaso North, Adentan, Ga Central, Ga South, and Tema West.
Noble-Yorke reassured the public that the Ghana Health Service remains committed to providing high-quality healthcare, aligned with the Ministry of Health’s goals and the President’s vision to improve public health in the country.
Parents are strongly encouraged to support the campaign and ensure their children are vaccinated against polio, a potentially life-threatening disease.
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