The Coalition of NGOs in Health is demanding immediate government action to alleviate the plight of suffering mothers and their deformed babies. National Vice Chairperson of the Coalition, Madam Cecilia Senoo explained on Joy FM’s Top Story that government ought to provide social protection support for such children to enable them “benefit from right to life”. Citing the appointment of a visually impaired Minister of Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs, she remarked that the need to protect these children is important because “we don’t know what they would be in future”. Her calls come at the back of a touching documentary aired on Joy FM’s Hotline on deformed babies on Thursday. Acting Director of Social Welfare Department, Christopher Babooro however said the government has already set aside 2% of the Common Fund to help people with disability throughout the country. The fund is being administered by the district assemblies, he said, adding that the fund also takes care of physically challenged kids. He said government releases the fund quarterly to a committee who in turn disburses it in every two months to the beneficiaries. He also cited the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), a pro poor social intervention program which provides cash and health insurance to extremely poor people, which persons in such conditions, he noted, can take advantage of. But Madam Cecilia Senoo claimed the 2 per cent allocated to the physically challenged is “not happening…not working”, however, that was denied by Mr Babooro. Madam Senoo moreover suggested that a separate fund should be created to cater for persons with disability to avoid the needy going out, especially to the media, to beg for support. She also recommended that the fund should be monitored effectively to ensure that the intended beneficiaries received it.