TICHAONA KATSVAMUTIMA RECENTLY IN DARWENDALE
People with disabilities (PLWD) are being excluded from sexual and reproductive health programmes organised by the government and other organisations amid fears the neglect will fuel the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Speaking at a meeting held in Darwendale last week, representatives of PLWD said they were a “neglected constituency”.
“People living with disabilities tend to be forgotten by society and are often left out of activities and programmes,” a representative of PLWD who requested anonymity said.
“We are a neglected constituency. You can’t afford to ignore this constituency, for example in the midst of a pandemic (Covid-19).”
Reacting to these concerns National Aids Council (NAC) Mashonaland West provincial coordinator, David Nyamurera said PLWD had for long been neglected and it was imperative to involve them in sexual reproductive programmes to curb the further spread of HIV/ Aids.
“The reason why we are interacting with this constituency is that there are also human beings with natural feelings and need companionship,” Nyamurera said.
“We have, for long, interacted with other segments of our population such as sex workers, people living with HIV/AIDS, adolescent boys and girls, and then we said where the disabled persons are.”
Nyamurera suggested that ward and district databases for PLWD be compiled for the constituency to be involved in various programmes to do with sexuality and respond to challenges peculiar to them.
Mashonaland West provincial social welfare officer, Agnes Mutowo, who also spoke at the meeting, disclosed that her ministry has since created a dedicated department that deals with issues affecting PLWD.
“People living with disabilities had just been lumped with other vulnerable groups and their issues were not dealt with adequately. Our ministry has now created a specific department that deals with issues affecting people living with disabilities,” said Mutowo.
Most districts in Mashonaland West in 2019 managed to reach the 90 percent mark in the distribution of antiretroviral drugs ahead of the 2023 target, but there were concerns that people with disabilities were not adequately represented.
