The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) has begun a three-day programme to assess, prescribe, fit and distribute assistive devices to 562 children with disabilities across 12 institutions and organisations in the Federal Capital Territory. The commission’s executive secretary, Ayuba Gufwam, said the intervention marked a shift from ad-hoc distribution of assistive devices to a more coordinated system designed to ensure that beneficiaries receive appropriate equipment and the support required to use them effectively. Speaking at the handover of assistive devices to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH), Gufwam said the commission was strengthening its assistive technology services around assessment, prescription, fitting, training, follow-up and maintenance. He said the objective was not merely to put devices in the hands of persons with disabilities but to ensure that the right device reached the right person and contributed to their mobility, independence, learning and participation. “An assistive device is only truly useful when it is appropriate for the individual, properly assessed, correctly fitted, adequately explained and supported through appropriate follow-up,” he said. According to him, the commission’s Assistive Devices and Technology Unit was working to establish a more sustainable approach to assistive technology provision. “Our objective is not merely to place devices in the hands of persons with disabilities. Our objective is to ensure that the right device reaches the right person, is appropriately fitted and used safely, and contributes meaningfully to mobility, independence, learning, participation and quality of life,” he said. He urged hospitals receiving the devices to ensure proper allocation, fitting, user education, maintenance, monitoring and follow-up. The executive secretary also called on UATH to designate a focal person to liaise with the commission on utilisation, repairs, challenges and emerging assistive technology needs. He said the success of the intervention would not be measured by the number of devices distributed but by their impact on beneficiaries. He also thanked the ECOWAS Commission for supporting the provision of the assistive devices under its regional intervention.
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