Prof. Solomon Ofori Acquah
The Department of Audiology, Speech and Language Therapy under the auspices of the School of Biomedical and Allied Health Services has held a symposium to promote the role of Speech and Language Therapists in the country and create awareness of their services. The maiden symposium which took place at the Bank of Ghana Auditorium, was held under the theme: Empowering Communication on 22nd November, 2018.
The forum also served as a platform to commend Ghana for being part of the 6 countries in Africa to have trained personnel and facilities required for communication disability rehabilitation.
Speaking at the event, Mrs. Amina Achiaa, Director of Special Education, revealed that her outfit, in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service, is in the fight to prevent and detect early signs of children with communication defects and any form of disability.
“…We have started at the entry point at the age of 4 years when they are entering kindergarten so that we will be able to detect any disability like communication defect.” she noted.
She disclosed that her division has made provisions to include children with speech disabilities and communication defects into mainstream education. Thus a policy on inclusive education has been made, she added. According to her the objective is to ensure that all manner of children irrespective of their disabilities have access to education.
On issues of stigmatisation against these special students, Mrs. Achiaa mentioned that massive education to sensitize the public was ongoing and admonished all to play an advocacy role to erode stigmatisation.
Mrs. Amina Achiaa
Prof. Solomon Ofori Acquah, Dean, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences and Chairman of the Symposium in his remarks advocated for community engagement of Speech and Language Therapists to better serve the needs of those with swallowing and language problems. The Dean also called for the creation of rehabilitation centers in hospitals as a means of bringing about collaboration of various health personnel in treating patients with swallowing and language problems.
Prof. Solomon Ofori Acquah indicated that, the limited number of Speech and Language Therapists in the country called for the introduction of tele health services to augment their efforts.
Claire Mawson Naire, representative of the Australian High Commissioner, assured the continual support of the Australian Government to the Department of Audiology, Speech and Language to train more Speech and Language therapists in the country and also provide more Speech and language therapy centres. She further charged Ghanaian therapists to share the knowledge and skills acquired with other countries in the sub-region.
Claire Mawson Naire
Speech and Language Therapists provide services to people with communication disabilities and swallowing difficulties.
The University of Ghana commenced the Speech and Language Therapy training in August 2016 and now has its first batch of students trained and ready to work in the various health centres.
A group picture of some officials at the event
Prof. Solomon Ofori Acquah
