Noah Ebije, Kaduna

The Persons With Disabilities(PWD’s) in the country have demanded for data of their that were tested positive for COVID-19, alleging that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the federal minisry of health have denied them of such data since the outbreak of the deadly disease.

“We have no data or record of our members that were screened or tested positive of the Coronavirus”. They said.

They therefore called on the Federal and State governments to make available to them, data of PWDs that were screened and those who tested positive.

Speaking during a Zoom conference on ‘A Rapid Assessment of the effective of Government Covid-19 Communication and palliative distribution strategies in Kaduna organised by the centre for citizens with disabilities held on Friday, the Executive Director, David Anyaele, noted that even though there was awareness among its members but only a handful of its members were invited to participate as beneficiaries.

He alleged that the strategies for the distribution was very poor, saying there is the need to expand it by supporting the PWD’s and other groups.

Speaking further, Anyaele stated that what was even worrisome is that they have no data on the actual number of their members that were tested positive.

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According to him, in Kaduna where they have over one million members, nobody could afford to give them the information of their members that were tested positive.

He also noted that even at the national level the NCDC and the federal minisry of health have not presented them the data.

He therfore called on governor Nasir El-rufai to domesticate the disabilities bill, saying once done, it will help in addressing some of the challenges facing PWD’s.

“Many states have signed the bill in less than two or three days , I don’t know why there is delay in signing the bill in Kaduna”.

The Executive Director said the assessment of PWDs status on COVID-19 was carried out in five states; namely Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Lagos, Kaduna and Kano States.