The Lawra District Health Management Team in consultation with the District Health Committee has directed health facilities in the area to endorse Police medical forms for victims of rape, assault and domestic violence free of charge. Dr Sebastian Sandaare, Lawra District Director of Health Services, announced this when staff of the Lawra District Hospital organised an open forum to interact with members of the community at Lawra on Saturday. According to him, he has observed that some victims of assault, rape and domestic violence, who reported to health facilities with Police medical forms, struggled to have these forms signed by medical officers because the authorities demanded payment of a fee. Dr Sandaare, who is also the Medical Superintendent of Lawra Hospital, noted the practice was discouraging such victims from reporting to the Police for the medical forms. He said it also delayed the administration of justice for poor people, adding that scraping of the fee was to promote the fundamental rights of the people. Dr Sandaare said the National Aids Control Programme had initiated measures to ensure that rape victims receive prophylactic anti-retroviral within 72 hours from the time of the incident, to help prevent HIV infection. He advised rape victims to report early to the Police and health facilities for treatment to prevent contracting infections. Dr Sandaare said the Lawra Hospital has about two permanent doctors and three Cuban doctors and a safe delivery ward. He said even though the hospital was working hard to deliver health care to the people, it was being constrained by inadequate staff, infrastructure and poor medical equipment. Dr Alexis Nang-beifubah, Upper West Regional Director of Health Services, commended the Lawra District Health Directorate for its contribution to the development of healthcare in the area. He said the Regional Health Directorate would ensure the establishment of a customer care unit at the hospital to deal with concerns of clients. Dr Nang-beifubah advised that anyone who falls sick should report to health facilities instead of going to spiritualists or administering self-medication. Mr Cliford Atanga, Lawra District Deputy Co-ordinating Director, commended the health workers for their dedication to duty, pledging that the Assembly would continue to support them to deliver. Source: GNA