At a consultative forum of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) in preparation for the World Health Organisation’s World Disability Report organized by Sightsavers today 7th September, 2022, the Executive Secretary National Commission for Persons with Disabilities Mr. James David Lalu, during his address at the occasion asserted that Persons with Disabilities face enormous challenges while trying to access good health in Nigeria.
He made this disclosure to acquaint the public with various discriminative actions of some health service providers toward Persons with Disabilities when they seek for health services.
The ES who commended Sightsavers for not relenting in their pursuit of better lives for Persons with Disabilities promised that the Commission will continue to do its best to drive the process to attaining better healthcare for PWDs across the country.
Mr. Lalu equally informed the forum of the steps taken by the Commission to enroll over 6000 PWDs in the National Health Insurance Scheme in order that they might access good healthcare services in the 36 States of the federation.
He however, lamented the issue of rising foreign exchange rates which is becoming a bane to importing some of the Disability help materials and Assistive Devices from other countries.
Meanwhile, the Honorable Minister,Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadia Umar Farouq, who was represented by a Chief from the Special Needs Department of the Ministry, Mr. Gyang Godson laid emphasis on the need to remove all the bottlenecks that PWDs encounter when they seek medical attention.
She further warned that any healthcare official found guilty of not doing the right thing will face the full wrath of the law as provided by the 2018 Disability Act that established the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities.
Another stakeholder who lent his voice to the discourse was the CEO, Continental pharmaceutical limited, Prince Albert Awofisayo commended the antecedents of the ES and promised to work closely with the Commission for the overall interest of Persons with Disabilities in order to attract seamless access to good healthcare services.
