High healthcare cost and fractured services are among the top reasons why children with CP have limited access to existing rehabilitation therapy. The monthly minimum wage in Ghana amounts to $42 a month. This income is incomparable to the $187 cost of the three common therapies the children need (physical, occupational therapy, and speech) per month. Given the long-term nature of the children’s condition, they require multiple sessions of therapy per year. These costs are not covered by Ghana’s health insurance, leaving the financial burden on families, particularly women. In addition, the multiple therapies families need are not in one place. Each therapy is located at a different town or city. Health teams do not also work together on the same child to provide the best of care. This fractured system increases childcare burden, transportation cost to receive care, healthcare cost, and high dropout rate from health care. The system barriers perpetuates poverty. It is not surprising that about 76% caregivers stop receiving therapy within the first six months after diagnosis, according to our needs assessment.

Providing rehabilitation therapy would allow children with CP to function independently, survive, go to school, and be included in society. Our non-profit, the Center for Learning and Childhood Development-Ghana set up a community-based, one one-stop shop, free-of-charge therapy, and training clinic for families of children with cerebral palsy and other developmental disabilities. This once a week training clinic provides physical (physio) therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy within the same clinic visit. Caregivers also receive training on therapy techniques they can perform at home, as well as on childcare and parenting