Weija Leprosarium Celebrates 60th Anniv. (Page 38, August 23, 2010)

THE Weija Leprosarium has celebrated its 60th anniversary with a call on government to assist the home with the adequate resources for the upkeep of the inmates.
The Chairman of the Leper Aid Committee, Rev. Fr Andrew Campbell, who made the call said the home had depended on donations and assistance from institutions for the past years and had received little support from the government.
He said the inmates at the Leprosarium were humans just as any other individual in the country and needed to be treated as such.
He outlined inadequate infrastructure, lack of social amenities, and inadequate funding as the major challenges facing the home.
Rev. Fr Campbell said aside the challenges facing the home, families of the inmates had deserted them over the years since they were considered as unclean.
He appealed to families whose relatives were at the home to pay them regular visits and to be prepared to take them home when they were cured.
Rev. Fr Campbell who won GH¢25,000 on the “Who wants to be rich” show sponsored by MTN used the money to sponsor the 60th anniversary celebrations of the Leprosarium.
He appealed to all who have the progress of the home at heart to text the number 1966 to all networks to support the home.
Giving a brief history of the home, the prefect of the Leprosarium, Madam Gladys Adobea, said the home was established in 1966 with 85 inmates who were moved from Labadi.
She said to date only five of them were still alive with the oldest been 99 years.
She said despite the challenges that they faced they have lived happily together.
She thanked Rev. Fr Campbell for his enormous support and devotion to the home and the inmates.
The home also received various donations from institutions and individuals at the celebration.
Baron Distilleries, Getty and Friends, Central University College, All Ships in Tema were among the institutions that donated to the home.
Items donated included electrical appliances, bags of gari, rice, charcoal, beverages, toiletries, foodstuffs, used clothes, detergents and fruits worth thousands of Ghana Cedis.
The Administrative Manager of Baron Distilleries, Mr Ellis Clottey, who spoke on behalf of the donors said they were happy to associate with the home on the celebration of their 60th anniversary.
He said it was part of their corporate social responsibility, adding that helping the less privileged in the society brought the company so much joy.
He congratulated the home and Rev. Fr Campbell for the support he continued to give to the home.
He also promised the company’s support to the home.
Rev. Fr Campbell also presented gifts to all 40 inmates and a television set to the surviving five inmates who had spent 60 years of their lives in the home.