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AKURE – In a move to ensure People With Disabilities (PWDs) are given inclusive healthcare attention in Ondo State, key stakeholders and health practitioners have been enlightened on the challenges being faced by PWDs in the state.

The workshop organised by Disability Not A Barrier Initiative (DINABI) and funded by Disability Rights Fund (DRF), was attended by health practitioners, officials and heads of major departments in the state Ministry of Health.

Executive Director, DINABI, Engr. Olajide Benjamin stated that the workshop became necessary to ensure PWDs are given adequate health services at all health facilities in the state.

The workshop was organised in furtherance of advancing the rights of persons with disabilities to accessible health and inclusive social protection.

The state government was also called upon to provide facilities and services that would remove all barriers before people with disabilities PWDs to ensure unfettered access to healthcare. 

Doctors and other health workers were also charged to desist from rejecting posting to villages so that the health challenges of the people could be attended to.

Engr. Olajide tasked the state Ministry of Health to delebratly create disability-related healthcare components for the PWDs.

Besides, he urged the participants from Ministry of Health to foster alliances with other Ministries, Departments and Agencies(MDAs), Civil Society Organisations(CSOs) among others.

He implored them to prepare special budgets for special programmes to accommodate the PWDs.

Meanwhile, the officials from the Ministry of Health disclosed that the Ministry has concluded plans to create a special desk for PWDs in the Ministry by next year.

Moreover, the participants were taught some basic sign language with a view to making their encounter with patients with seamless. 

This sign language is used when communicating with persons with hearing or visual impairment.