Nwanoro seeks free healthcare, assistive devices for PWDs

By Lucy Ogalue

Dr Christopher Nwanoro, an Activist for Persons Living with Disabilities (PLWDs), has appealed to the government to provide free healthcare and assistive devices to Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) to enable them to live normal lives.

Nwanoro, the President of National Disability Empowerment Forum (NADEF), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), made the call when he appeared on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja.

According to him, PWDs should be able to access free health insurance and education scholarships up to the university level, as many of them still need jobs.

He stressed the need to include PWDs in the affairs of the government to ensure inclusiveness to ensure they do not feel left out.

Nwanoro also appealed to organisations, communities and well-meaning Nigerians to help PWDs with assistive devices to enable them to live independent lives.

He added that to leverage on technology, there are gadgets that can help challenged persons manoeuvre their ways and attend to their needs with less stress.”

He encouraged PWDs to embrace a lifestyle of high self-esteem because they are humans too.

“We have so much to offer towards the development of the nation.

“Being blind does not stop the brain from working; having challenges with hands or legs cannot stop the brain from working and hearing impairment does not make one incapacitated.

“For a person like me, I passed through stress, thorns and thistles before I was able to get educated and become what I am today.

“So for others, they are not supposed to pass through the same rough way that I passed; government should provide for them,” he added. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu