By Tina George, Minna
The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development has disclosed plans to partner with The Leprosy Mission (TLM) Nigeria on local production of assistive devices for People With Disabilities (PWDs) in Nigeria.
According to the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Aisha Abubakar , this would go a long way to reduce the inferior prosthetics made in the country and educate the inexperience producers of locally made prosthetics in the country.
The Minister stated this at the official commissioning of the newly constructed The Leprosy Mission Nigeria Modern Orthopaedic Ward in Minna.
The Minister who was represented by the Director of Director of Rehabilitation, Mrs. Nkechi Onwukwe said The Leprosy Mission Nigeria is working at trying to improve mobility of people who are struggling with one form of orthopaedic situations in Nigeria.
“There is no gain saying the fact that many Nigerians through various causes have been put into the situation where they must need one form of mobility assistive devices or the other. Most of these are usually imported from outside the country at very exorbitant prices or are locally made with inferior materials. These gaps and challenges are what I believe TLM Nigeria has come to address through their various works as well as the construction of these structures.”
She declared that Nigeria is obligated to ensuring that the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities are implemented. We are working to ensuring access by PWDs and staff working with them and encouraging entities that produce mobility aids, devices and assistive technologies.
“Disability is complex and cross cutting and issues of personal mobility of PWDs ought to be tailored towards the specific category of individual disability. The Ministry appreciate TLM Nigeria for their efforts in this regard through the production of assistive technologies such as above and below knee prosthetics, moulded shoes, elephant booth, orthsois as well as building this ward.”
The Country Director of The Leprosy Mission Nigeria (TLMN), Dr. Sunday Udoh also disclosed that 170 limbs has been fitted for various clients by the Mission in 2018.
Udoh said that the limbs which are made in the orthopedic workshop of the Mission have been a great help and relief to a lot of accident victims and victims from various disabilities.
He said that the fee charged for the limbs are free for clients with leprosy but others with disabilities from non-leprosy cases are made to charge a little fee, “however, this is nothing when compared to what is paid to procure these limbs outside the country. “
The Director said the orthopaedic ward would address the need of clients who travel from far to assess the services of the orthopaedic workshop.
A beneficiary of The Leprosy Mission Orthopaedic Workshop, Valda Martins said the fittings made by the Mission are world classed as she had not had cause to go abroad for fittings since she started exploring their services.
She urged people with disabilities not to shy away from using fittings as it does not reduce them in anyway calling for a more better treatment for people with disabilities.
“Fittings does not reduce you and having a disability is nothing bad. People with disabilities should not be treated with disdain rather, they should be given preference and treated well. ”
