People With Physical Disability Wants Free, Affordable Mobility Devices

Hon Richard Banda receiving Petition form Charles Banda

Representatives from people living with physical disabilities petitioned the National Assembly to force government make “available free of charge” essential assistive devices particularly for mobility.

An Affiliate organization to FEDOMA called Persons with Physical Disabilities in Malawi (PPDM) petition is pushing for free availability of assistive devices among the poor persons with disabilities and lower prices for such devices to those who can afford.

The petition recommends that policies or strategies related to assistive devices require regular budgetary support from government to ensure implementation and for the replacement, repair and maintenance.

It adds that the essential assistive devices needs to be identified and made available free of charge to the poor people who cannot afford the devices.

Charles Banda Reading the petition

Vice Chairperson for the organisation, Charles Banda, when handing over the petition on Wednesday evening to Hon Richard Chimwendo Banda, Chairperson for the Parliamentary Committee on Social and Economic Affairs, said the concerned population of persons with physical disabilities wants provision of assistive devices be part and parcel of development national agenda.

He said persons with disabilities are facing a number of challenges including lack of increased participation in development activities hence calls for government actions as defined in accordance with international and local disability rights instruments by making available of assistive devices free of charge to the poor.

Banda observed that assistive devices are priced as high as K500 thousand for wheel chairs in shops and at K300 thousand for pair of callipers in current services offered 500 Miles Project, prices that an average Malawian is failing to afford.

He said now with no mobility aids such as tricycles, wheel chairs, crunches and callipers many poor Malawians with physical disabilities have lost mobility or they crawl on the floor. Banda noted that the worsening situation is due to lack of support to organisations that gives out services and such devices including Malawi Against Physical Disabilities (MAPD) and orthopedic centres in Lilongwe and Blantyre who are currently inactive.

Banda said currently, persons with physical are being denied equal access to many other social amenities including education, employment and health.

“Mobility devices enable persons with disabilities to achieve personal mobility and access to these devices is a precondition for achieving equal opportunities, enjoying human rights and living in dignity” he said adding that article 20 of United Nations Conventions on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) also places the responsibility of States to ensure that persons with disabilities have personal mobility with greatest possible independence, promote and ensure availability as well as access to mobility aids, devices and assistive technologies.

Assistive technologies when appropriate to the user he said “Have been shown to be a powerful tool to increase independence and participation”

He therefore said this is opposed to provisions in Sections 12(2), 13(c)(f)(g) and many others of the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi; some Priority areas of the National Social Support Policy; some Sections in the Disability Act of 2012 and some Articles of the UNCRPD

The PPDM vice chairperson therefore asked Malawi government to abide by its commitments ratified in the UNCRPD and adopted Disability Act, and signed international treaties to ensure that persons with disabilities have equal access to basic human rights through access to assistive devices (including mobility devices).

“To this end government must adopt comprehensive approach to strengthen in-country capacity for provision for assistive devices at all levels”

Receiving the petition hon Richard Chimwendo Banda, Chairperson for the Parliamentary Committee on Social And Economic Affairs of Parliament, said he will try to plead with the Speaker and the business committee to ensure that the petition is discussed in this budget sitting.

“If it is not possible we will make sure it is given priority in the next sitting of parliament” he said adding that their grievances will be well articulated in by the legislatures through lobby for increased funding targeting their challenges.