Section 79(1), (b) of the Criminal Offences Act of 1960 (Act 29) states that "A parent is under duty to give access to the necessities of health and life to the child who is not of age and capacity as to be able to obtain those basic necessities".
This is what the law stipulates when it comes to the issue of children having a right to health and invariably life. To think that some person(s) or organisation(s) would want to deny the child, who has the potential of being a great leader in some capacity in this sovereign nation, this right is abominable, criminal and should not be tolerated as stated in the Criminal Offences Act of 1960 and should be treated as such.
Of particular concern to this article is the belief of the Jehovah Witness-- that they are not to accept blood transfusion of any kind-- and how it truncates life of persons belonging to that faith who find themselves in a situation where they need blood to live. Of even greater concern is the child who has no say in the decision to live or die in such a situation. As per the Act stated above, parents are to serve as facilitators for children in accessing health care and all that leads to their right to life. I believe we should all be given the opportunity to choose between life and death. It is not the duty of parents to decide whether their wards would live or die based on a trivial decision such as that of blood transfusion. That, my friends, would be a shame to what we are fighting for in this world, that is, progress.
I am not schooled in the doctrines of the Jehovah Witness, hence, I can't write about how they came to the decision of not accepting blood that can save their lives. I don't really have a problem with adults choosing not to continue their "miserable" lives, no, not all. I have no empathy for such people. However, when these 'MISERABLE' parents want to make that decision for their wards because they are unable to do so for themselves because of the limitations placed on them under the constitution and Legislative Acts, then I have a huge problem.
It is important that we preserve life. God, the creator of the universe (as believed by most, myself included) is a major proponent of preserving life. I also believe strongly that God approves of methods developed by mankind to save lives medically. That is to say, God is biggest fan of technological advancement. After all, he did say, he created us in his image. Thus we have his nature (in this case, the ability to save lives). To think that an organisation like the Jehovah Witness don't believe in this philosophy baffles me a lot. This is because they profess belief in this same God I talk about. Albeit their different approach to the philosophy of God and all about him; essentially, one fact is explicit, they do believe on One God, the creator of the universe and the giver of life. Are they trying to tell us that this God, the one who blessed us with this gift of medicine and the knowledge to advance it, is foolish for giving us such a precious gift to preserve the human race?
The time has come for society (you and I), to take a firm stand on this issue. No parents in this sovereign state has the audacity to deny a child the right to health and life; especially when there are ways and means of preserving that life. This is a call to duty to all responsible agencies (child welfare, law enforcement agencies, the family and the government) to take the bull by the horn and crush such primitive and immature beliefs in the name of God.
WE SHOULD BOLDLY SET THE RECORDS STRAIGHT ON THIS ISSUE, SO THAT THOSE WHO BELONG TO THIS ORGANISATION ( JEHOVAH WITNESS; NO OFFENSE INTENDED) BECOME INFORMED THAT AS FAR AS THEY LIVE IN THIS COUNTRY AND CALL THEMSELVES GHANAIANS, THEY ARE SUBJECT TO THE LAWS ENSHRINED IN THE CONSTITUTION AND THE LEGISLATIVE ACTS OF THIS COUNTRY.
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