GENERAL

Wheelchairs gifted for National Disability Rights Awareness Month

A total of 14 wheelchairs were donated to suitable beneficiaries in the Nelson Mandela Bay District Municipality yesterday, Friday, 4 November.

WHEELCHAIRS TO CHANGE THE LIVES OF THE BENEFICIARIES

This was done to mark the start of National Disability Rights Awareness Month.

Eastern Cape Department of Health MEC Nomakhosazana Meth, joined delegates from various departments at Dora Nginza Hospital in handing over the wheelchairs.

Hon MEC Meth arriving at Dora Nginza Hospital in the Nelson Mandela Bay District where the launch of the Disability Awareness Month took place and the handover of wheelchairs. Photo: Eastern Cape Department of Health/ Facebook.

ABOUT NATIONAL DISABILITY RIGHTS AWARENESS MONTH

South Africa celebrates National Disability Rights Awareness Month between 3 November and 3 December every year — a month that seeks to promote a more inclusive society where everyone works together to improve the quality of life of people living with disabilities, through concrete action.

TRAINNG PROVIDED TO THERAPEUTIC STAFF MEMBERS

Yonela Dekeda, Provincial Spokesperson, Eastern Cape Department of Health said the Department of Health will use this month to showcase its contribution to supporting people with disabilities and encourage and educate communities on how to treat people with disabilities.

“November 4 also marked the last day of training for therapists from various facilities and wheelchair beneficiaries, who are being trained on wheelchair basic seating as part of medico-legal cases mitigating strategies.”

Dekeda

What government has done since launching National Disability Rights Awareness Month in 2013:

  • Capacitating the disability coordination function at the epicentre of all spheres of government
  • Accelerating domestication of the UNCRPD. This includes the ratification and domestication of the AU Protocol on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Marrakesh Treaty to be ratified on Access to Print Materials for Persons with Print Disabilities. As well as taking the White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities into law. 
  • Transformation and strengthening of the National Disability Rights Machinery as a meaningful platform for strategic engagement and collaboration needs to be fast-tracked.
  • The creation of a sustainable funding mechanism for the sector to increase footprint and impact of programmes of national organisations.
  • Strengthening the extent of self-representation by persons with disabilities across strategic institutions. This includes their representation in governance structures, and strengthening meaningful involvement of representative organisations in the design and conceptualisation phase of policies and services and monitoring processes.

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