Protect rights of people with disabilities—NGOs

Federation of Disability Organisations in Malawi Karonga chapter chairperson Noah Simwaka has emphasised the need to protect the rights of people with disabilities.

He said this on Saturday at Baka Residential Training College during a meeting organised by Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) to appreciate challenges people with disabilities face in accessing healthcare services.

Simwaka said: “Malawi has the best Disability Act of 2012 which emphasises the importance of the right to disability user- friendly structures in public buildings, including hospitals, the right to access healthcare services, right to access to employment and other pertinent services.

“However, people with disabilities are the most discriminated against in society, which means authorities are failing to implement their own laws which they formulated.”

He also claimed people with disabilities are excluded from social cash transfer services and they are forced to queue with other people in public hospitals.

Karonga District Disability Forum chairperson Danwell Mwalughali said people with disabilities such as those who use wheelchairs are assisted on the queue in hospital.

“When healthcare workers assist people with disabilities on the queue, they infringe on their right to privacy,” he said.

Mwalughali also said it was a pity that since independence in 1964, there are some public facilities that are not disability user friendly.

Malawi Council for the Handicapped Karonga and Chitipa assistant rehabilitation officer Noel Phiri said his office is engaging various stakeholders to include people with disabilities in various programmes.

“We are sensitising people and stakeholders that people with disabilities can do what  anyone does. Therefore, they should be included in development activities,” he said.

CHRR programmes officer Wilfred Mwambira said the concerns will be forwarded to relevant authorities for action.

“We will engage relevant authorities to ensure that all related tools such as the Disability Act of 2012 and universal health coverage are being implemented,” he said.

With funding from Oxfam in Malawi, CHRR is implementing a health governance project in six health centres in Paramount Chief Kyungu in the district.