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National Council for Persons with Disabilities calls for support of PWD children

NCPWD's Winfred Mbugua (left) comforts a child living with disability in Garissa after donating assistive devices at Garissa Primary School on Friday, June 28, 2024. (Photo: Issa Hussein)

By Issa Hussein | Friday, June 28, 2024

She stated that most of the cases were developmental disabilities and disorders caused by prolonged labour.

The National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) has urged Kenyan communities to stop stigmatising children with disabilities and instead take them to hospitals for therapy that will improve their health.

Speaking during an outreach disability assessment session in Garissa, Winfred Mbugua, an NCPWD senior official, said they were working in collaboration with hospital officials to diagnose and start early medication for children with disabilities.

She said children with cerebral palsy were facing challenges of stigma and cases where parents were forced to hide them in seclusion.

"We are here for a two-day outreach programme in collaboration with the Kenya Institute of Special Education and Garissa Referral Hospital, and we hope to reach 250 children in Garissa for assessment, therapy, and assistance with wheelchairs and assistive devices to improve the mobility of the children," she said.

She stated that most of the cases were developmental disabilities and disorders caused by prolonged labour, especially for people who are far away from the hospital, home delivery, infections during birth, and premature births.

NCPWD's Winfred Mbugua (left) comforts a child living with disability in Garissa after donating assistive devices at Garissa Primary School on Friday, June 28, 2024. (Photo Issa Hussein)

NCPWD's Winfred Mbugua (left) speaks with parents at Garissa Primary School on Friday, June 28, 2024. (Photo: Issa Hussein)

She announced efforts by NCPWD to offer parents basic home therapy techniques so that they may help their children as they await appointments for medical help.

Benjamin Sifuna, an occupational therapist, urged the government to invest in more therapists, noting that only three at the Garissa Level 4 Hospital are overwhelmed by more than 30 patients a week. He encouraged parents of children with disabilities to bring them for medication to reduce the severity of the disabilities.

"We need to overcome stigma and other challenges facing children with disabilities. Let's help them and make them feel loved by the community," he said.

Aden Bile, Garissa County Chairman of Members with Disability, also encouraged the local community to take advantage of the assessment programme and ensure children with special needs were taken to special schools.