Local leaders ask govt to support children living with disabilities 

Local leaders in Kampala on Saturday urged the government to avail support to the disabled children in Uganda.

The LC1 chairperson of Ntinda village nine in Kampala, Mr Kenneth Kanyike, said children with disabilities should always be considered in government programs to live a positive life just like any other normal person.

"Some people abandon and do not associate with such children, especially in communities and schools which leads to failure in life,” he said adding that he is always creating awareness in his area putting an end to discrimination against disabled persons.

He also said disabled persons are experiencing exclusion, discrimination and neglect during the response to the epidemics like Coronavirus and Ebola.

"We do not want this to be the case in the dissemination of vaccines including Covid-19 or any other government programmes. The government should make additional efforts to protect the rights of people with disabilities in responding to the epidemics,” he said Sunday during the function to celebrate international disability day at DORNA Centre Home for Autism in Mukono.

Mr Gilbert Muhumuza, the LC1 chairperson of Ntinda village 12 warned parents against abandoning children with disabilities which eventually pushes them to the streets to look for what to eat.

"I have observed some parents have neglected such children and they have to risk their lives in urban centres in order to get what to eat," he said.

Ms Dorothy Nambi the executive director of DORNA Home Centre for Autism said they have 30 children living with Autism and dealing with it is not for the weak-hearted.