Needed: Better care for the disabled

MUSCAT, MARCH 19 - The Services and Social Development Committee of Majlis Ash’shura on Tuesday discussed the possibility of changing the term “persons with disabilities” with a better one, even as stressing the need to extend continuous support to rehabilitation centres and provide them with specialists, technicians and bus supervisors. These issues were discussed at the regular 5th meeting of the committee’s 4th annual session (2018/2019), chaired by Dr Hamoud bin Ahmed al Yahyai, head of the committee, and attended by Dr Yahya bin Bader al Mawali, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Social Development, experts and committee members. The members gave several suggestions to develop and improve services for the people with disabilities, highlighting the importance of expanding rehabilitation centres and creating public awareness in this regard. During the meeting, Al Mawali touched on the ministry’s efforts to expand services for this important section of society. He said the number of government rehabilitation centres reached 29 in different governorates of the Sultanate since last year, while the number of special rehabilitation centres hit 33, registering an increase of 15 per cent over last year. “The number of specialists and technicians in government centres stood at 286 while there are 293 specialists in private centres” he added, stressing that the ministry aspires to increase this number to enhance the services in both sectors. The Under-Secretary also revealed that the ministry is working on the development of vocational rehabilitation units affiliated to Al Waffa Centres to enhance their role in the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities and sharpen their professional skills. The meeting also looked into some of the challenges being faced by this sector — development of a national data base, setting up of more rehabilitation centres to meet the increasing need and improve the quality of services provided.