Mr Martin Kpebu a legal practitioner on Friday said the establishment of Domestic Violence Support Fund to cater for victims of domestic violence seeking medical attention in the country was crucial.
According to him there are about 3,000 Ghanaians who suffer domestic violence and unable to pay for medical expenses even as low at GH¢50.00 adding “this tells you that the issue of poverty is not a joke, it is serious.”
“People are unable to pay the doctors to fill medical reports after they have been examined medically.”
He told journalists after a Human Rights Court had ordered for the urgent establishment of a Domestic Violence Support Fund
The court presided over by Mr Anthony Yeboah also gave six months within which enforcement would commence.
Mr Kpebu said one of the first step taken by victims are that whenever they report at the Police station they are given medical form. These forms are sent to the Hospitals for Doctors to fill after examination of these victims.
Mr Martin Kpebu, a Legal practitioner went to court to seek an order compelling the state to provide free medical care for victims of Domestic Violence.
Mr Kpebu, the applicant contended that section 8 of the Domestic Violence Act, 2007 (Act 732) free medical care was to be provided for domestic violence victim medical care.
According to him the section 29 of the Act also mentioned the establishment of a domestic Violence Support Fund.
He said the objective section 31 of the Act include “basic material support of the victim of domestic violence and ä rescue, rehabilitation and integration of the victims.
The applicant said government failure to provide free medical care for victims and setting up a fund to rehabilitate them was wrong.
He was therefore seeking for an order of mandamus compelling the state to set up the fund to provide medical care to the victim.
Plaintiff, had earlier gone to the Supreme Court over non-bailable offences which was in the country’s statutes of which the Apex court agreed that such offences can be bailable.
Join GhanaStar.com to receive daily email alerts of breaking news in Ghana. GhanaStar.com is your source for all Ghana News. Get the latest Ghana news, breaking news, sports, politics, entertainment and more about Ghana, Africa and beyond.
(Via: CitiFM Online Ghana)
