Presidents Mugabe and Nguema of Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea along with Mai Grace Mugabe during a state visit to Harare on January 9, 2012. The African states have pledged to strengthen ties., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
President committed to helping the physically challenged
Saturday, 29 September 2012
Herald Reporter
President Mugabe is committed to improving lives of physically challenged people through equitable distribution of resources, Health Advisor to the Presidency and Cabinet Dr Timothy Stamps has said. Dr Stamps was speaking at a meeting with physically challenged people and representatives of the Zimbabwe Parents of Handicapped Children Association at Isheanesu Multipurpose Centre For the Disabled.
“The President’s Office is dedicated to the cause of helping physically challenged people.
We are working closely with different organisations which are dedicated to the same cause and the endeavour is to make sure problems associated with their conditions are minimised,” he said.
Dr Stamps said children born with disabilities faced a double blow as they were highly stigmatised. He urged stakeholders to integrate challenged persons into their activities.
“Oftentimes these children are looked down upon when it comes to HIV and AIDS programmes.
“Children face abuse in its various forms and sometimes fail to report to the police because their own relatives will be perpetrators and this translates to them being less protected from the virus,” he said.
Mrs Dadirai Nyamande, who has a physically challenged son, urged relevant Government ministries to ensure that challenged children had access to education, water, shelter and clothing just like able bodied ones.
“I now live in a church because my previous landlord chased me away. I was self-employed before giving birth but now I cannot leave my child alone.
“The cheapest special school charges US$250 per term, an amount I cannot raise and Government says it has no money.” ZPHCA co-ordinator Mrs Theresa Makwara said they were grateful for the support given by President Mugabe and the First Lady.
At least 10 percent of world’s population is disabled and lacks proper access to health-related material due to the absence of properly packaged information.
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