Persons living with Disabilities (PWDs) will be benefiting from health-related programmes by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Mastercard Foundation Africa Higher Education Health Collaborative.

According to the pillar lead for Health Ecosystem under the Health Collaborative, Dr. Joseph Owusu, these programmes are designed to equip them to increase their job prospects in the health sector.

KNUST Mastercard Foundation Africa Higher Education Health Collaborative organised stakeholder engagement for persons with disabilities (PWDs).

This stakeholder engagement aimed at assisting persons with disabilities to be able to access decent, dignified, and fulfilling jobs in the health sector through acquisition of knowledge and skills.

This was premised on the United Nations estimates that about 80-90 per cent of PWD of working age in developing countries are unemployed.

The programmes include Health Communication Agents, Medicine Counter Assistants, Health Information Management, Medical Laboratory Sciences, and Phlebotomy.

Dr. Owusu indicated that once they go through these programmes and acquire the requisite skills and knowledge, there is a possibility for them to access employment in the health sector.

Speaking at stakeholder engagement meeting with PWDs at KNUST campus, he revealed that 20 persons with disabilities will benefit from free tuition, stipend, and free accommodation every year for the next five years.

“In the next five years, we are looking to train 100 people with disabilities,” he said.

These programmes earmarked for PWDs will soon commence.

Chairman of the Ghana Society for the Physically Disabled, Obuasi Municipal, Mr. Karim Iddrisu was happy that the programme would give persons with disabilities a better quality of life.

He added that “once we gain the knowledge and skills from Mastercard Foundation Africa Higher Education Health Collaborative, it’s a step in the right direction. It’s a good initiative for us.”