By Tunde Oguntola,
Federal government yesterday reiterated its commitment to ensuring the availability and affordability of Assistive Technologies (AT) for persons with disabilities (PWDS) in the country.
To attain target 3.8 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on universal health coverage, the federal government noted that access to assistive technology is an essential component in the continuum of health care and universal health coverage.
The minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development Sadiya Umar Farouq disclosed this at the public presentation of the National Roadmap on Local Production of Standard Assistive Technologies for Persons With Disabilities (PWDS) in Nigeria yesterday in Abuja.
Farouq said that the roadmap was developed to pilot the implementation of the key enabling actions, activities and programmes that will be instrumental to an organised production, procurement, and distribution of Assistive Technologies for PWDs in the country.
Highlighting the objective of the roadmap she said it will guide production, procurement and distribution of Assistive Technologies for PWDs in Nigeria.
Represented by the permanent secretary, Dr Nasir Sani Gwarzo, the minister said the roadmap will ensure quality control in the local production of assistive technologies for PWDS.
“It will also mainstream local production of assistive technologies in innovative and industrial development of the country and help in providing enabling environment for employment creation through local production of assistive technologies.
“The ministry through her Special Needs Department has continuously made concerted efforts towards improving the lives of persons with disabilities in Nigeria,” she said.
She added that these efforts have at different times been aimed at specific objectives to generally fetch better living outcomes for PWDs in Nigeria.
