The
Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate,
has identified inclusiveness in healthcare services for the persons living with
disabilities. Pate made this assertion at the inaugural meeting with the National
Steering Committee Initiative on Disability Inclusiveness Healthcare, recently
in his office.
The Minister
urged members of the committee to connect themselves with relevant stakeholders
to ease the activities of people with disabilities. He assured members that
agencies under the Ministry of Health, would uphold the Act on people with
disabilities to enable them have access to the services of the agencies.
Speaking
further, the Minister advocated for the production of assisted devices in Nigeria,
which should be incorporated in the social health insurance scheme so that some
barriers faced by persons with disabilities can be identified and tackled. He beckoned
on healthcare facilities to give provisions for employment of persons with
disabilities.
Pate
also directed that World Health Organization (WHO), Sight Savers, National Institute
for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT) and the Medical Rehabilitation
Therapy Registration Board of Nigeria (MRTB) be included as members of the
Committee.
In his
opening remarks, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs
and Equal opportunities, Hon. Mohammed Abba Isa, said one of the mandates given
to him by Mr. President is to liaise with ministries, departments , agencies,
sub-national authorities, development partners, civil society organization and
organization of persons with disabilities for inclusion and inculcation of
disability requirements and perspectives in their plans, policy and programmes,
to ensure that inclusive governance is
being achieved in fulfillment of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He commended
the Coordinating Minister for his exemplary leadership role in championing
inclusive healthcare, which resulted in the setting up of the committee.
The
Special Assistant further disclosed that the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda
has placed paramount importance on an equitable society for ensuring that no
one is left behind, especially people with disabilities.
Hon.
Muhammed Abba Isa, called on members of the committee to embrace their roles as
champions of inclusive healthcare, charging them to work tirelessly and
collectively to turn the vision into reality and carry everyone along
regardless of ability to receive the care and support they deserve.
Also
speaking the Executive Secretary/CEO, National Commission for Persons with Disabilities,
Mr. James David Lalu, stressed the need to include persons with disabilities in
the health insurance scheme. He noted that one of the challenges faced by
persons with disabilities is accessibility to the service of health facilities.
Mr.
James Lalu therefore called for partnership with the Ministry and other MDA’s
to ensure easy access to their services for persons with disabilities, stating
that the commission is working assiduously to provide language interpreters in
the healthcare centres to enable easy flow of communication between health
personnel and the persons with disabilities.
He
added that the commission is in collaboration with the Federal University of
Lafia, Nassarawa State, to develop a degree programme curriculum for language
interpreters.
The
Executive Secretary also promised to embark on language training classes for
medical practitioners for free communication between them and their clients.
Signed:
Deworitshe
Patricia
Director
(Information & PR)
27/3/2024