Editorial
Let’s respect, appreciate work of fire-fighters
Dear Editor,
Over the years, I have observed how most Ghanaians have treated fire-fighters when there is a fire outbreak, after they have been called to help put off fire to save lives and properties.
It is sad to say that most of these fire-fighters are often treated with disrespect; I find it very disturbing.
I witnessed an incident during the recent fire outbreak in Adum, Kumasi, where a young man tried to attack a fire-fighter for reasons best known to him.
The incident has since gone viral on social media.
As a country, we are all aware of the difficult circumstances under which the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) works, a condition people tend to put a blind eye on.
People needlessly chastise them for arriving late to extinguish fire.
There had been a number of issues the fire service faces, such as inadequate fire tenders and other logistics that tend to affect the service they provide.
An uncle of mine, who used to be in the fire service, once told me that most of the fire tenders that were packed at the various fire stations across the country were broken down or not functioning.
Aside the fact that most of the fire tenders were not functioning, access to fire scenes such as markets sometimes become a challenge due to lack of space for tenders to navigate through.
With all these challenges, it becomes unacceptable for Ghanaians to attack fire-fighters during fire outbreaks. What we tend to forget is that most of these firefighters put their lives at risk in trying to put off fires and some of them even get burned and sustain various degrees of injuries in the process.
While I call on Ghanaians to desist from such an act, I would also like to appeal to the government to adequately resource the Ghana National Fire Service to ensure that the security agency works effectively to protect lives and properties.
Also, there is the need for the country to look at how markets are constructed to ensure that there is easy access to them in case of emergencies such as fire outbreaks.
Lilian Osei
Editorial
Kudos to Ho Teaching Hospital staff, but …
Dear Editor,
If there is any group of professionals that get bad-mouthed the most, then you are referring to nurses and medical doctors assigned to public hospitals across the country.
For this particular letter, I want to sing the praises of this same group of professionals that work at the Ho Teaching Hospital, famously known as Trafalgar.
Despite the work load and the mass casualties received at the emergency ward of the hospital, the welcoming nature of the nurses and the professional touch by the doctors can’t be ignored. My personal experience has got me travelling from my base in Accra to seek medical services from these professionals.
Special mention has to be made of the likes of Precious of the Pharmacy Department, Dr Brandon Banor (a maxillofacial resident) of the Dental unit, male nurse Justice assigned to the female surgical ward. Words cannot really do justice to their affable, professional caring nature. A simple thank you is all that I can say.
In the same vein, I can’t but call out the bad attitude of the auxiliary staff and contractors of the hospital.
Chief among them is some of the contracted bank staff that handle the payment section of the hospital and the patient registration section (those that check the status of the patient as to whether they are fee paying patients or NHIS sponsored).
The attitude at times leaves a bad taste in the mouth. One such occurrence was a night staff of the registration section who had her legs on the office table whilst talking to patients.
The CEO of the hospital needs to shine his torch light on this support sections before they erode the awesome performance of the direct medical staff of the hospital.
Thank you for the space.
Kwesi Manu
Accra
Editorial
Develop policies to address disability concerns
Dear Editor,
AT the beginning of the year, when I went to the bank to deposit money into my uncle’s account, I observed a very sad situation where a man in a wheelchair struggled to navigate his way around the facility.
This is because the structure is disability unfriendly.
As I stood and watched how the man struggled to move his wheelchair, I felt sad and wondered if this is how the life of a disabled person should be. It becomes worse if there is no one to offer help.
In Ghana, People With Disabilities (PWDs) are often treated differently and are often subjected to all forms of discrimination.
Most of these people find themselves in such a situation as a result of unfortunate happenings such as accidents and injuries.
It is, therefore, not appropriate for anyone to discriminate against them. Discrimination against such persons take many forms, including how buildings are constructed.
Most of the public structures are not disability friendly and impede their movement.
As a country, we should consider the PWDs in designing our structures. I also think that there should be a national policy that seeks to address this issue.
I have a strong conviction that when such a policy is developed by the government, people with disabilities would feel appreciated and also promote social inclusivity.
Ray,
Kasoa
