Dr. Nelly Adade, a seasoned pediatrician and advocate for child health, has urged President John Dramani Mahama to make comprehensive child healthcare a top priority during his tenure, highlighting critical gaps that need urgent attention.
In a poignant letter coinciding with her birthday and President Mahama’s inauguration, Dr. Adade underscored the pressing need for robust healthcare policies that cater specifically to children, whose welfare she described as pivotal to the nation’s future.
Dr. Adade shared sobering insights from her practice, pointing out how economic challenges have worsened child nutrition, leaving many without access to essential proteins. She stressed the importance of implementing a practical and effective free healthcare policy for children under five, noting its current ineffectiveness on the ground.
“Our hospitals are struggling to care for children due to outdated equipment and insufficient resources,” she noted. “We need free access to critical services such as dialysis and ambulance support for children to ensure no child is left behind in their time of need.”
The pediatrician also highlighted the environmental hazards posed by illegal mining activities, which threaten the health and safety of children, and called for decisive actions to mitigate these dangers.
She described the resilience of Ghanaian children as inspiring but cautioned that resilience alone cannot compensate for systemic failures.
“If we invest in making Ghana a child-friendly nation today, we will be nurturing a generation of bright, patriotic leaders tomorrow,” Dr. Adade said.
The pediatrician’s message serves as both a call to action and a reminder that the nation’s progress is intrinsically linked to the well-being of its youngest citizens.