AfricaPress-Tanzania: DR Reginald Mengi Persons with Disabilities Foundation (DMRF) has organised a charity walk to raise public awareness on different types of disabilities.
The charity walk, dubbed ‘Walkathon’, is scheduled for November 29, which coincides with the commemoration of International Day of the Persons with Disabilities 2020.
The event is part of week-long activities to mark the day which is globally commemorated on December 3 every year.
This year’s theme ‘Not all Disabilities are Visible’ focuses on spreading awareness and understanding of disabilities that are not immediately apparent, such as mental illness, chronic pain or fatigue, sight or hearing impairments, diabetes, brain injuries, neurological disorders, learning differences and cognitive dysfunctions, among others.
According to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report on disability, 15 per cent of the world’s population, or more than 1 billion people, are living with disabilities.
Of this number, it’s estimated 450 million are living with a mental or neurological condition— and two-thirds of these people will not seek professional medical help, largely due to stigma, discrimination and neglect.
Briefing reporters in Dar es Salaam yesterday, Executive Director of DRMF Shimimana Ntuyabaliwe said awareness campaigns launched yesterday in the city underscored the theme of the day.
Ms Ntuyabaliwe noted that Vice-President Samia Suluhu Hassan was expected to grace the charity walk to be held at Mnazi Mmoja Grounds in the city.
“The aim of the charity walk is to educate and emphasise the members of the public so that they recognise different types of disabilities,” she said.
She noted that funds raised from the charity walk would be spent on buying medicines for people with mental illness.”These medicines are costly, but it is important to keep them healthy,” she said.
Besides the charity walk during the week, the organisation would also organise a camp at the Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) for providing services to people with disabilities.
Camps would be set up in regions with high number of people with disabilities such as Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, Iringa and Singida.
