Persons living with Disabilities have been urged to register with the National Council of Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) to ensure they access the various services provided by the government.
Nyandarua County Director for Health Administration and Planning Dr. Martha Mwathi and County Member of the County Assembly Representing People with Disability at the Nyandarua County Assembly Ms. Joyce Munyua said the government agency is mandated to offer registered persons with disabilities services, benefits and grants to improve their living conditions.
They noted that registering with the NCPWD allows people with disabilities to benefit from the aid the government sets aside to improve their living standards.
They spoke at Ndaragwa Health Centre during mass registration exercise for People living with disabilities where they added that this also helps the government, through the NCPWD, to design appropriate programmes to meet the specific needs of People with Disabilities depending on the type of disabilities, their socio-economic needs, and poverty levels among other things.
Such needs included access to devices such as wheelchairs, crutches, hearing aids, calipers, surgical boots and prosthetic arms or legs. Assistive services on the other hand include sign language translation.
Programmes designed by NCPWD include economic empowerment through which the National Development Fund for Persons with Disabilities provides grants to community and self-help groups.
Dr. Mwathi said the County government of Nyandarua plans to open more centres where such persons can access physiotherapy services, saying this will help ease long distances they travel to get such services.
“The county government is committed in ensuring every level four hospital within the county has been equipped with physiotherapy equipment and trained therapists so that parents and guardians of people living with disability don’t have to go far for such services,” said Dr. Mwathi.
By Antony Mwangi
