Ugo Aliogo
The Executive Director, Irede Foundation, Crystal Chigbu, has appealed to the federal government to implement the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act which was signed into law on January 23, 2018, by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Chigbu made the call in Lagos during a media breakfast which was part of activities marking the organisation’s annual campaign tagged: “Out on a Limb,” that is celebrated every April, to commemorate the Limb Loss Awareness Month.
She expressed frustration over the stigmatisation faced by people with artificial limbs, while calling on government to ensure that persons with special needs enjoy equal right.
Chigbu further called on government to support artificial limbs manufacturers, so that the price could be reduced.
Chigbu noted that since the inception of the foundation eight years ago, it has educated, encouraged and empowered 103 child amputees with 186 limbs across 20 states in 5 of 6 geopolitical zones in Nigeria.
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According to her, “In the last eight years, we have worked with a couple of corporate organisations, SMEs, multinationals, grant organisations and government agencies to provide free limbs to children and young adult. For this year we are going to give 70 limbs.
“Limbs are very expensive and depending on the level of amputation you have used. The prices of limbs ranges and the different functions of the limbs determines to a large extent, the functionality of the limbs.
“The cost of the limbs can be very frustrating for a parent, when you have planned that your child will use the leg for you maybe nine months and under six months, you have to change it.
“The second challenge is the availability of the component in the country that is used to create artificial limbs. Most the components used to create artificial limbs are imported, they are manufactured in Nigeria. The federal government should see how they can start manufacturing artificial limbs in Nigeria to reduce the cost of buying imported limbs.
“The dream is a society which is enabled for children living with disabilities, and discrimination reduced to the barest minimum for all persons living with disabilities,” he added.