Ghanaians in Cote d'Ivoire support trauma fund

Ghanaians living in Cote d'Ivoire have contributed $5,000 (about GH¢22,000) to the Ghana Reconstruction of Anomaly and Trauma Fund (GRAFT) to help extend plastic surgery services to more needy patients.

The GRAFT Foundation, a non-profit-making organisation relies on the fund to provide free reconstructive plastic surgery for needy patients in Ghana and other West African countries.

The money was realised from contributions by Ghanaians living in Cote d'Ivoire through a fund-raising initiated by Ghana’s mission there.

Presentation

Presenting the money to the GRAFT Foundation in Accra, Ghana’s former Ambassador to Cote d’Ivoire, Lt Gen. Peter Augustine Blay (retd), said the gesture was to health with the foundation’s work in Ghana.

He said the initiative was also in line with the country’s policy to include Ghanaians in the diaspora in national development, using the various missions.

Support

Lt Gen. Blay explained that there were many people who could not genuinely afford the cost of medical care and needed to be helped through the collective efforts of all.

“We are witnesses to the good works of the foundation in Cote d'Ivoire and we fell in love with what we saw. We, therefore, as a mission, began a campaign to raise funds to support this worthy course,” he said.

As part of the fund-raising initiative, an appeal was made to the staff of the mission and the entire Ghanaian community in Cote d'Ivoire to donate a 1,000 CFA ($2.50) every month in 2016, which they responded to positively.

“The proceeds are encouraging and that is what we are presenting to the foundation today. I wish the mission will continue with such initiatives,” he Lt Gen. Blay said.

Gratitude

The Founder and Chairman of the GRAFT Foundation, Dr Kwame Abrokwaa-Yankyera, expressed gratitude to the mission for the gesture.

He appealed to other individuals and groups to emulate the foundation’s example.

“With this support we are optimistic we will be able to reach out to many more people in Ghana and beyond who require reconstructive surgery but cannot afford it,” Dr Abrokwaa-Yankyera, who is also the Head of the Plastic Surgery and Burns Unit of the 37 Military Hospital, stated.

The Foundation has conducted over 700 free surgeries since its inception

Ghana Health Service

The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Ebenezer Appiah-Denkyira, said the gesture from Ghanaians in the diaspora was a wake-up call to those residing in-country, particularly religious and financial institutions, to contribute more to health delivery.

“We are very grateful to those who are already contributing and urge them to do more,” he said.