The Lagos State Government has provided medical intervention to thirty three persons with disabilities (PWDs) requiring prolonged medication and various medical procedures.
The intervention, coordinated by the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA), is aimed at easing the financial burden associated with healthcare needs among persons living with disabilities.
Speaking on the initiative, the General Manager of LASODA, Adenike Oyetunde-Lawal, said the beneficiaries were carefully selected based on individual requests for assistance submitted directly to the agency.
She said unlike previous interventions that often relied on disability clusters, the latest programme deliberately targeted PWDs who are not members of any cluster.
“Most of the individuals you see here wrote in to the agency. Not every person with disability is a member of a cluster, so this time, we decided to look towards those who are not members of clusters but are PWDs,” she said.
According to her, the beneficiaries require different forms of medical support, including prolonged medication and procedures that could provide permanent relief from their conditions.
She noted that while the number of beneficiaries might appear small, the cost and complexity of the individual medical needs make the intervention significant.
Oyetunde-Lawal said the state government was also working towards developing sustainable mechanisms for providing medication and covering medical procedures for persons with permanent disabilities.
She said one of the beneficiaries would require medical procedures at least once or twice yearly due to the nature of his disability, adding that LASODA had supported him over the years.
The LASODA boss expressed optimism that subsequent approvals would increase the number of beneficiaries and improve the quality of life of PWDs, particularly in the area of medical assistance.
She reiterated the commitment of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration to social inclusion, stressing that the intervention demonstrates the government’s determination to ensure that no one is left behind.
Oyetunde-Lawal said rising costs of medication and medical procedures had made the intervention particularly important, adding that the government was committed to translating its social inclusion agenda into tangible support for vulnerable residents.
Beneficiaries at the Programme which featured presentation of Cheques to individuals, commended the State Government for its various initiatives at promoting the wellbeing and welfare as well as providing quality health care services for People with Disabilities in the state.
