By Mohamed Macarthy
In a bid to provide unlimited opportunities for persons with disabilities, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation together with World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday the 26th 2021 launched Assistive Technology (AT) Policy and Strategic Plan together with the Priority Assistive Technology Product List of Sierra Leone. The move is said to provide persons with disabilities with assistive devices in order to ease their daily movements.
Speaking at the event held in Bo, Southern Sierra Leone, the President of Sierra Leone Union on Disability Issues (SLUDI), Santigie Kargbo expressed gratitude for the efforts of every key actor in the process that rationalizes what he said is the long awaited demands from both the disabled and the aged. He said that he is kindly rallying behind everyone in order to ensure that the contents of the documentation are being used and supported in practical terms.
Kargbo said providing the disabled with such devices requires money, and highlighted the need for the human resource and financial strength.
Kargbo called for collective efforts for the success of the plans in the midst of the existing challenges faced by the physically challenged in the society. He said the documents have five years mandates, with a roadmap and monitoring framework so that tremendous gains will be achieved annually.
Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Taiwo Cullen said that one of the commission’s mandates is to provide assistive devices to persons with disabilities in Sierra Leone.
That, he said, has been a constant challenge for the commission but continues to work collaboratively with the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and other concerned Non- Government Organisations (NGOs) so that the monumental challenges with the devices will be reduced drastically.
The representative for World Health Organization, Dr. Abdul Jibril Njai said generally, assistive devices are needed by everyone, but that there are specific sets of people such as those with disabilities, older people, those suffering from diabetes, strokes and individuals with mental conditions that are in in dire need of it.
Dr. Njai said that beyond the lens of these documents, most of the people concerned will have to properly use the devices in order to ensure that they improve on their language skills and also for them not to hurt their bodies. He said they needed to be given the right education and adequate skills to use these technologies.
The Acting Minister of Social Welfare, Hadji Kellah said that he believes that disability is everyone’s business either directly or indirectly.
He said they as a ministry have a very clear mandate to work with various institutions that deal with physically challenged people in the country. He said that their roles are very much integral in tackling the key challenges of persons with disabilities. He noted that assistive devices are required in terms of ensuring that the disabled are provided with adequate needs and security in Sierra Leone.
The Minister of Health and Sanitation, Dr. Austin Demby commended President Julius Maada Bio, for allocating 22% of the country’s budget to education in order to develop the human capital including the physically challenged population. He said that President Bio is very much cognizant of persons with disabilities.
Dr. Demby noted that the president is poised to bring a plethora of technological facilities to the doorsteps of everyone.
He believed with radical inclusion of the physically challenged in strategic government policies, there is likelihood for Sierra Leone to make a steady progress in this 21st century. He appealed to government ministers, NGOs, WHO, and other advocacy groups to give their adequate support in order for them to realize their fullest potentials.
Copyright © Politico Online 29/11/21
