Exploring the Intersection of Religion, Health and Disability in the Ghanaian Experience

Abstract

Notions of health and disability in the experience of indigenous societies in Africa are not straightforward as in Western thought, especially as formulated by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The WHO has formulated three fundamental concepts in disability policy namely impairment, disability and handicap. Scholars in disabilities studies, on the other hand, have formulated different models for disabilities. The two most popular of the models are the medical or functional model; and the second is the social or minority model. In Ghana, institutions have been established and laws and policies formulated to protect and ensure the progress of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). The enforcement of these laws and policies relating to PWDs in Ghana, however, has often been undermined by traditional beliefs and attitudes towards disability. My claim is that both notions of disability and healthcare for PWDs are, to a very large extent grounded in religious and cultural beliefs. This presentation is based on research conducted among the Tongu Mafi Ewes of Ghana. Findings from the research reveal that the traditional worldviews underpinning notions of disability affect one of the core aspect of human life—healthcare, and in this case the healthcare of persons with disabilities.