The Coast Association for Persons Living with Disability (CAPLD), has cautioned parents against hiding children with physical disabilities, to protect their families’ public image.
The Organization’s Executive Director, Hamisa Zaja, said that such acts of discrimination, must not be allowed and that the affected children must be assured of better living conditions.
Speaking at Sayyidah Fatimah Hospital in Mlaleo, Nyali Sub-county, on Sunday, Hamisa Zaja said the government should start a serious campaign to sensitise parents with special needs children on the importance of showing affection to the children.
CAPLD, in partnership with Dear Diaries Initiatives Kenya and Aisha Foundation CBO, donated assistive devices worth over Sh250, 000 for the Hospital’s therapy Department.
Zaja stressed the need for the establishment of physiotherapy facilities at the ward level, to eliminate the need for patients to travel long distances for therapy services.
She noted that, as a result of inflation, the prices of equipment have gone up tenfold, discouraging people willing to donate the equipment, to special needs facilities.
“Equipment that we used to buy at Sh150, 000 now goes for up to Sh250, 000,” Saja observed.
Aisha Foundation founder, Mwanaisha Chiku, said sometimes the problems facing the hidden disabled children are minor and can be managed if detected early enough.
She added that most of the special needs children they deal with suffer from Cerebral palsy (CP) and require a lot of physical therapy.
Chiku further decried the lack of enough therapy equipment and facilities in Mombasa, forcing parents to travel long distances, to the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital (CGTRH) for therapy services.
The high costs and distances associated with transporting special needs children to CGTRH for therapy sessions, often discourage parents, thereby, limiting their child’s progress.
Said Abdalla, a parent of a Cerebral palsy child, said it is hard to raise a special needs child.
He called on the government to look into ways of helping parents with special needs children and help create better spaces for the children.
“It needs a lot of patience and heart. It is not easy. It is a difficult test from God. If you are not strong-willed, you can easily abandon your child or even throw them away. Husbands can easily abandon their wives because of the special needs children,” said Abdalla.
Abdalla highlighted the limited number of school facilities for special needs children and the inadequate staff and equipment.
Sayyida Fatimah Hospital Administrator, Hannah Adam, said though they are a Level 4 facility, they are a community hospital that thrives in collaboration with partners, to help the community members.
Mlaleo Assistant Chief, Zubeda Farid, said the government has a way to help parents who cannot afford therapy and services for special needs children.
“There is no need to hide them. The fee is affordable, at about Sh150 per session, and if this is hard for you, we can also find a way to assist,” she stated.
She added that it is unfortunate that some parents do not count their special needs children, when the government conducts an activity that requires one to account for the children they have.
“Last week, during the registration of children for the treated government mosquito nets, some parents who had five children, said they have only four just because one of them has special needs,” Farid said.
By Sadik Hassan
