Individuals with disabilities have urged the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development to set aside a dedicated budget for Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology in the upcoming 2024/2025 financial year.
Ester Kyozira, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU), emphasized the importance of this initiative in closing the service delivery gap and enhancing access to orthopedic care for the wider community.
Assistive technologies (ATs) encompass a broad spectrum of tools, ranging from familiar low-tech items like reading glasses, crutches, and hearing aids to more advanced solutions.
Others include physical aids such as wheelchairs, prosthetic limbs, and white canes, as well as digital innovations like speech recognition software and captioning tools, all designed to improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities.
Kyozira emphasized the need for the Ministry of Finance to set aside a dedicated budget for the rehabilitation and procurement of Assistive Technology (AT) for persons with disabilities (PWDs) in all government orthopedic hospitals and workshops.
She pointed out that there are significant gaps in the government’s provision of ATs, which are frequently addressed by non-governmental organizations and development partners.
Why they are crucial
She highlighted that the absence of a budget undermines the ability of these facilities to improve service delivery and promote the meaningful inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs).
She stressed the significance of assistive devices and assistive technology (AT) for PWDs in Uganda, as they enable individuals to engage more fully in society.
However, there are numerous obstacles to accessing ATs across the country, particularly in government-run orthopedic workshops within hospitals, which struggle to repair or acquire new assistive devices or ATs due to budget constraints.
Kyozira made this observation during the launch of a comprehensive assessment of Uganda’s orthopedic workshops.
The event evaluated the repair services for assistive devices and ATs in both government-operated and private facilities.
A comprehensive evaluation of individuals with disabilities is essential to identify thei