Dr. Genevieve Kumapley emphasized for a paradigm shift where Ghanaians see autism as a disorder than a punishment from God. Dr. Genevieve Kumapley is the Dr. Genevieve Kumapley and is responsible for making the call.
The facility built, which is situated off in Accra, was built by Haven International. This organization aims to advance the interest of individuals with autism in Ghana as well as provides Ghanian parents and their children the needed information on autism and other mental disabilities as cited on Ghana Web.
The facility has volunteers, medical professionals and some other experts who are always ready to assist people who walk in. Affecting millions of people across the globe, autism, which is a pervasive developmental disorder involving abnormal development and function of the brain, affects an individual's communication and social interaction skills according to Autism Center of Excellence. And about 1% of the world's population has Autism Spectrum Disorder. Experts believe that Autism has been globally stigmatized because of the lack of information about it.
The center, serving as a hub for research, training and assistance, offers access to resources and tools-like books, videos, playground and other informative materials- for caregivers and providers to individuals with special needs.
Dr. Kumapley was inspired by women of Autism Society of Ghana upon arriving in the country some five years ago. As a parent having a son with autism, she believes that raising awareness about the condition is a priority.
At the launch, a number of affected parents shared their sentiments on autism, highlighting the high cost of managing it in Ghana. These parents highly praised Haven International for building the center, which will get a lot of people in the country to be aware of the condition.
Haven International, established in 2011, has been conducting autism training for teachers in schools, healthcare professionals, parents and caregivers across Ghana. And so far, around 980 people have benefited from the training program: 15% healthcare professionals, 60% teachers and 25% parents/caregivers.
