By Prudence Eboagwu-Ijah
The Federal Government has been called upon to recognize and cater for children with special needs and other disabilities in the country.
The board chairperson for Sedoo Initiatives for children with special needs (Sechild) Barrister Aver Gavar who made the call at the weekend in Abuja during the commissioning of the Sechild Initiative called for more support for children with special needs.
“Nigeria has ratified the rights of persons with disabilities and now have a disability commission but there is not enough recognition for children living with special needs in our society.
Children with special needs dont receive adequate care and this has left them marginalised and down graded, Gavar said.
In her words, government needs to support organizations like this that is providing support for children with special needs. Also specialized skills are needed in this centre hence the need for their services to be engaged.
In her address, the President, Sechild
Kawan Aondofa-Anjira, said her motivation stems from two of her children that were born with celebra palsy.
“We have been married for over twenty years, two out of four children my husband and I had were born with celebra palsy. These children are considered not deserving of life. We advocate for the right and life of these special children. If these children are understood, they will be treated and trained better.
Seedoo and Anpha was born with celebra palsy. There were no places we could take our children to, hence we opened this place so that parents with children with special needs can bring their children here.”
“We advocate for the provision of a safe space where these children can have a chance to live their lives despite the health challenges they are faced with. They are human being, not snake incarnates”
Speaking on the specialised care available at Sechild, Kawan said that
specialists are very expensive to engage, this place is funded by few individuals, so far we have two physiotherapist who help these children with physiotherapy sessions and care givers who attend to them daily.
According to Kawan, the centre needs assistive devices, standing frames, walking frames, wheel chair, speech therapist, more physiotherapist, to ensure more physiotherapy sessions.
She further called on government to partner with Sechild so that these children can have a better chance at survival as the center hopes to provide a school and learning space for these children as schools dont accept them.
There are various areas of special needs but Sechild caters for children with celebra palsy as thats what my children had and we presently have seven children in our care now.
Chairman of the Advisory board of Sechild Major General Emmanuel Jengel (rtd) called on organizations and government to support this initiative by providing support for children with disabilities and special needs.
He further stressed the need for parents with special needs to stop hiding their children and killing them, but rather they should help these children access the needed care.
A physiotherapist Dr Joseph Nbahan who provides physio exercises for children with celebral palsy at Sechild hinted that celebral palsy is caused by a damage in the brain, which can only be managed
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