We are in awe of your benevolence towards us this year. In spite of all the challenges that the whole world faced, you didn’t let us be alone but rather you checked on us and came along with a helping hand. All we have to say is, may the God Lord bless your kind heart and may the good spirits be with you in this festive season.
MERRY CHRISTMAS..!!!
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New year.
Dear Friends of OTC, this is the time of year when we look back on the past twelve months and begin looking forward to the New Year. This time last year none of us knew what would confront us in 2020. Then the COVID 19 virus arrived as a roaring lion, forcing country after country to face month after month of unimaginable challenges. Despite the hope born of two very recently approved vaccines, those challenges remain. We at the OTC have not been exempt from the threats to human life caused by COVID 19. We too had to make hard decisions as we tried to put protocols in place that would protect the children and staff and at the same time allow us to continue serving the physically challenged who depend on us. By sending home all those who would not be negatively impacted by being discharged, we reduced our numbers to a small family of twelve. We divided the workshop into teams, each team on duty for two weeks at a time. With that schedule, we knew that if the virus infected someone in one group, that group could be sent home and be replaced by the other group. In spite of the challenges of 2020, you, our donors, have remained faithful in your kindness to us. Even during the lockdown some of you were able to get through road barriers by explaining to the police that you were bringing food to the OTC. Every gift we received has been a generous and loving response from you. Each has been very much appreciated by each of us. Now we look forward to 2021 while knowing that it will bring all of us new challenges. By partnering with you, we believe that we will continue to give hope to those we serve and to their families. We believe that we will continue to help our patients, one at a time, develop to their fullest potential and use their gifts for the good of society.Because of you and your sharing with us, the joy, peace, hope, and love that are the gifts of this Christmas season remain alive and well here at the OTC. We, in turn, pray daily that God will bless you and your loved ones with those same gifts now and throughout the year ahead.Gratefully yours, Sister Elizabeth Newman SSND
Children’s Profile….!!!!!!
My name is Zachariah and i am 12 years old.I love to swim, dance, read stories and listen to music. Ow yes i also love to keep our centre clean.My wish for you in this coming Christmas is that you stay in good health and enjoy every moment of Christmas with you love ones.Enjoy your day as well.
Byeeeee…!!!
Today the OTC decided to share food items to some of the community patients we visit on our Community visitations. Due to the pandemic the community visit team has been on halt for a while and when we visited to give them the gifts, the smiles on their faces and joy they expressed to receive the items shows how happy and appreciative they were.
#AllchildrenareGodsGift
#OTCghana
We have provided all our children with these wonderful nose mask. We are doing all our possible best to keep them safe and sound. Please don’t forget to use your nose mask and your Alcohol based sanitizers when you are in the mist of people.
#Staysafe #Stayhome
#Otcghana
#AllchildrenareGodsGift
State of OTC in COVID-19 Times
Now that Ghana has confirmed cases and deaths due to CORVD-19, we would like to bring you up to date on OTC.
Never before in our 59 years of service to the physically challenged have we had to close some departments and limit our services. However, like all institutions, we are struggling to find ways to protect the staff and children on admission and at the same time offer our services to the handicapped of Ghana.
The children’s department has only 12 residents. When schools closed and the country was considering lockdown, we thought it best to send as many children home as possible. Our numbers quickly went form 80 patients on admission to 12. Most of the 12 who are still here have been with us for a long time because they do not have families to return to. Our goal has been to make a wonderful home for them and provide a schedule so that they will have time for study, leisure, and physical exercise.
All amputees have been discharged and returned to their homes and families. Those whose appliances were not ready when they left will be called when the workshop has completed their prostheses and they are ready for fitting. Until the situation changes, they will not be admitted for training. At the moment we have 10 technicians at a time in the workshop to respect the prescribed social distancing.
Unfortunately, our mobile unit is grounded. We realize that it is hardship for those who depend on our services, but we believe that it is not safe for our team to travel or for patients who would gather to see us.
The Brother Tarcisius Prosthetic and Orthotic Training College and the Cerebral Palsy Day Care Center are closed down until further notice from the government and OTC management.
We are very thankful to all the generous people who support the OTC and continue to do so during these hard times. We pray for you every day and with you hope that this difficult time will soon pass. We also hope that you will, in turn, keep us at OTC in your prayers. In this way, although remaining separated from one another for safety, we will at the same time continue to be united in fighting this virus as one voice in our faith, our hope, and our love for all God’s people.
Today marks a day of recognition and remembrance of our Differently Abled Brothers and Sisters living in various parts of the world. We at the OTC work passionately to showcase to the world what differently abled people have and are able showcase to the people around the world.
We are here to strengthen, enhance and restore the social capacity of individuals living with disabilities in various parts of Ghana. Our children and patients are taught how to be independent and proficient in their daily livelihood so that they become example for PWD’s to strengthen themselves that if our children can be ROCKSTARS then nothing can stop PWD’s from becoming ROCKSTARS to the world.
Since 2017 till today, the OTC has had two wonderful bilateral amputee lads who have enlightened our days as the days go by. Their names are Koby Newman and Emmanuel Waepebi. Koby comes from Nsawam Adoagyiri in the Eastern region and Emmanuel hails from the Northern Region of Ghana.
Koby was born with a congenital disorder which caused both his legs to be full of flesh and had no bones in it. His grand mother work in our centre as one of the house mother who takes care of the children and his Mother is now a new worker in the Centre. Koby journey has been on of a great turmoil going through surgery, learning how to walk and eventually walking in a prosthetic leg happily.
Emmanuel’s story also resonates in the story of Koby because he was also born with the same congenital condition which lead him to have two legs that were full of flesh and had not bones in it. Emmanuel’s mother Vida has been a strong woman since the birth of Emmanuel because she had to suffer the stigmata and harassment of both her society and husband because the believe she has given birth to a child who is not of good omen. she never gave up and went on to provide for all of Emmanuel’s medical needs until she was confronted by a good Samaritan who help to bring Emmanuel to our centre. Today Emmanuel has also had his surgery, learn how to walk and is using a prosthetic leg.
Both Boys celebrated their birthday on the 22nd of November 2019 and it was so marvellous how they were happy in receiving their gift. Today they are so happy in their lives and we believe what the holds for them in the near future is great.
A group of 18 university students from the US, Canada and the UK paid a visit today to see first-hand the work of the OTC. The group of mostly second and third year students were part of a larger group of students traveling on a four month ‘Semester at Sea’ program originating in the US. The students attend lectures while on board and take shore excursions when the ship docks. They had two stops in Ghana at Takoradi and Tema. As the students were all undertaking studies in the health sector, a call on the OTC was arranged for them to see how the OTC delivers an integrated rehabilitation service for adults and children with prosthetic and orthotic needs. The students had a very productive experience at OTC; they had a tour of the Centre, interacted with our Director Sister Elizabeth Newman and the former Australian high Comissionor to Ghana Mr Billy Williams. Afterwards they went to the community, show how accessibly the surroundings were, visited a community patient and finally came back to the Centre to play ballon games with the children.
OVER SEVEN THOUSAND GHANAIANS WITH DISABILITIES HELPED IN 2018 BY ORTHOPEDIC CENTRE
Adoagiryi; 27 March 2019
Demand for the services of the Orthopedic Training Centre (OTC) in Ghana has grown by x per cent in the past year as more children and adults reached out for disability support. OTC treated 7,259 adults and children as out and in-patients during 2018.
At their annual meeting of the Board of Trustees at the OTC headquarters in Adoagiryi today, Centre Director, Sister Elizabeth Newman SSND, said the demand for support was at an all-time high with all available places at the centre filled by 90 children and adults.
‘As Ghana’s population grows, the number of patients presenting with diabetes, industrial and traffic accidents as well as birth deformities has increased. In 2018, we treated 2,466 patients with amputations, mostly from diabetes and accidents,’ said Sister Elizabeth.
The OTC workshop supported over 7,000 patients in 2018 with life-changing orthopedic appliances and intense physiotherapy treatment for rehabilitation in order that patients are able to return to the community and resume productive lives.
OTC reaches all regions of Ghana, including with a trek program that delivered support to 2,146 patients in 2018. A mobile unit covered over 20, 000 kilometres, visiting 46 stations, with some towns receiving eight visits annually.
Children’s education is a priority at OTC. As part of their rehabilitation and development, 105 in-patient children received a formal education program in 2018 delivered by a qualified teaching staff.
The introduction of a new cerebral palsy clinic and day centre at OTC, has demonstrated a need in the community for a support service for children with this disability. Named in honour of an Australian lady, Mrs Lynette Williams, who passed away in 2017, the clinic now supports seven children in the local community with a daily program led by qualified therapists using specialised equipment.
‘There is an increasing need to support children with cerebral palsy in the local community. The day care has a twin benefit with the child receiving specialised physio and other support while the parents are freed to work and engage in other activities. We hope to expand the program with more children over time, provided there are sufficient trained staff and adequate facilities available,’ said Sister Elizabeth.
Sister paid tribute to the many volunteers from around the world who have freely given their time to and talents to help OTC. She also paid tribute to the growing number of Ghanaian donors who have given generously with cash and in-kind donations to help deliver the services to those in the community who are disadvantaged through disability.
For further information and interviews , please contact Mr Eleazer Asante, PRO, OTC. Tel: 0506759386 Email- pr@otcghana.org
Orthopedic Training Centre (OTC) :: Ghana 