03 Jul 2019

Different stakeholders have committed to working hard to protect and promote the rights of people with disability as well as those of children in the best way possible.

They echoed these sentiments during the district children protection and disability committee meeting in Francistown recently.

They highlighted that the committee assessed disabilities such as Cerebral Palsy, Schizophrenia and Autism under the Greater Francistown District Health Management Team (DHMT), in an attempt to assist people with disabilities and bridge the divide between them and the rest of the community.

 Speaking during the meeting, the DHMT disability focal person, Ms Omphile Sebopeng said the organisation initiated remedial procedures with the intention of improving or correcting the unwelcomed circumstances and challenges faced by people with disabilties.

She said the disability committee worked with all stakeholders including the district commissioner to deal with challenges faced by people with disability.

“When stakeholders work together to achieve a common goal, we can achieve good results,” she added.                                                                                                                                          

Ms Sebopeng said they got at least five buggies from the Lady Khama Charitable Fund, each costing at least P16 000, which were distributed around Francistown as a way of trying to meet the challenge of lack of suitable walking aids.

The disability group, she explained, succeeded in liaising with Omang Office to assist individuals with disabilities who required identity documents for assessment and evaluation.

She said that during the disability assessment exercise, they encountered an incident in which a 19-yearold female was always locked in the house. 

The woman, she explained, stayed with an older brother who had a drinking problem and other male tenants in the house, who did not have identity cards, which was a requirement for assessment.

Consequently, she said they alerted the social worker about the poor family dynamics and the absence of valid identity cards in an effort to help the women.

Ms Sebopeng also mentioned that they also came across two recorded instances of drug abuse and noted that they would make an effort to get in touch with a drug rehabilitation centre.

However, Ms Sebopeng said they encountered a number of challenges, which included an increase in the number of children with cerebral palsy. She also said lack of suitable walking aids for the people with cerebral palsy was also a challenge since they were not enough.

The focal person also said a more accessible government-sponsored Autism Centre could help a great deal because the current one was private and not everyone could afford it.

She raised a concern about individuals who did not have identity cards, stating that it made their work difficult. 

However, she explained that the committee had made it its priority to ensure that people obtain identity cards.

Francistown assistant district commissioner, Ms Tebogo Hlabano applauded the committee in their quest to assist people with disabilities and children.

She highlighted that it was impressive to see stakeholders working together as this brought improved efficiency and productivity in delivering services to those who needed them.

 

Ms Hlabano reminded the committee to always come up with solutions and mitigation measures to challenges faced by those in need. ENDS