Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia on Thursday celebrated his 58th birthday with the cured lepers at the Weija Leprosarium in the Weija-Gbawe Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.

The Vice President, who was accompanied by his wife, Samira, and Father Andrew Campbell, served the lepers with breakfast.

He pledged his continuous support for the cured lepers and ensure their welfare at all times.

Dr Bawumia, who is a Patron of Lepers Aid Committee, donated a big cow, 100 bags of rice, 100 cartons of bottled water, 50 cartons of mineral drinks, and GH¢10,000 cash to the Weija Leprosarium for their upkeep.

"It gives me a lot of happiness to spend time with lepers and so on my 58th birthday, I don't need to think about where to celebrate it but with the cured lepers here," he said.

The Vice President extended the facilitation of President Akufo-Addo to the lepers, noting that the President often enquired about the welfare of the cured lepers and was prepared to support and make them happy.

"The President is very keen about the welfare of lepers and always ask me...how are the cured lepers doing? ...And because am a patron of the Lepers Aid Committee I, from time to time, brief the President about the ongoing projects and so the President is paying attention to your needs," the Vice President stated.

He cited an instance, where the President instructed that all the lepers should be vaccinated against the ravages of the Coronavirus disease.

He noted that lepers were often ostracised by society and urged all and sundry to welcome them, saying; "Let's make the lepers feel good and welcomed, there is nothing wrong eating, touching or talking to a cured leper," Dr Bawumia added.

Dr Bawumia inspected a new 40-bedroom hostel accommodation facility for the cured lepers, a research centre, and a newly constructed residence for Reverend Father Andrew Campbell, Chairman of the Lepers Aid Committee and an advocate of the welfare of lepers.

Father Campbell thanked the Vice President for his continuous support to cured lepers and asked for more support in terms of equipping the new laboratories in leprosariums in Weija, Ankaful, Ho, and Wa.

He appealed for an increase in lepers' allowances under the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Scheme, and also capture those yet to be enrolled onto the Scheme.

Mr John Ampao, a cured leper, on behalf of his colleagues, thanked the Vice President for the kind gesture and prayed for a long life for him and Allah's continuous preservation and blessings.

The cured lepers presented a beautifully designed painting to the Vice President in appreciation of his good deeds and care.