A disability services outreach in Traditional Authority Kalumbu in Lilongwe District has stressed the importance of early detection and intervention of diseases to restore dignity and hope to persons with disabilities.
Through a field visit led by Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare Principal Secretary Oliver Kumbambe on Saturday, African Disability Collaboration (ADC) Summit provided specialised care to communities of T/A Kalumbu in the district.
The outreach included eye and ear screening, mental health and psychiatric care, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy as well as developmental screening for under-five children to support early identification and management of disabilities.
School-going children also received learning assessments with specialists identifying conditions requiring further support and linking beneficiaries to continued care and possible access to assistive devices.
| Roy Howa
Kumbambe said the outreach demonstrated the importance of detecting disabilities early.
“We have observed that in most instances disabilities are detected late and when it is detected late, interventions are not easy,” he said.
The visit also drew representatives from the Malawi Council for Disability Affairs, Federation of Disability Organisations in Malawi, Malawi Against Physical Disability, Fount For Nations Organisation, development partners, civil society organisations and Organisations of Persons with Disabilities.
Fount For Nations Organisation founder Patience Musiwa Mkandawire described the outreach as an important part of the summit’s activities.
“We are happy for the learning visit, the summit and the medical therapy outreach,” she said.
Musiwa, however, said stigma and discrimination continue to prevent some families from seeking support early as misconceptions surrounding disability remain a challenge.
T/A Kalumbu welcomed the initiative, saying many children with disabilities face difficulties in accessing specialised services due to long distances to health facilities and transport challenges.
Established in 2023, the ADC brings together stakeholders from across Africa to promote disability inclusion, early intervention and improved services for children with disabilities.
