Ministry of Labour and Social Protection unveils digital boost for disability services
Principal Secretary State Department for Social Protection and Senior Citizen Affairs Joseph M. Motari during the capacity building sensitization workshop in Naivasha
In a significant move to improve services for persons with disabilities, Principal Secretary State Department for Social Protection and Senior Citizen Affairs, Joseph M. Motari, addressed a capacity-building exercise for County Disability Medical Assessment Teams.
The event underscored the government’s commitment to enhancing accessibility and support for persons with disabilities across Kenya.
Motari highlighted recent strides made in disability services, emphasizing the decentralization of disability medical assessments from Afya House in Nairobi to county health directors. This decentralization aims to make these critical services more accessible to individuals within their localities.
“I would like to commend the National Council for Persons with Disabilities for their significant efforts in bringing disability medical assessment services closer to the grassroots. With the support of the Ministry of Health and the Council of Governors, we have decentralized this process from Afya House in Nairobi to county health directors across the country” said PS Motari
He commended the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), the Ministry of Health, and the Council of Governors for their roles in this transition. The shift has enabled persons with disabilities to receive medical assessments and related services at public health facilities in their own counties.
One of the notable advancements is the integration of disability registration into the government’s E-Citizen platform. This digital transformation allows citizens to register for disability services online, significantly reducing bureaucratic hurdles.
Motari revealed that over 118,000 persons with disabilities were registered in the past financial year alone, with more than 4,000 individuals receiving assistive devices and over 2,000 students benefiting from educational support.
Additionally, the cash transfer program for persons with disabilities has expanded, surpassing 59,000 beneficiaries this year. This increase reflects the government’s response to the growing need for support, with plans underway to transition from a household-based to an individual-based cash transfer model. This new model aims to provide better support for families with multiple members requiring continuous care.
The event also marked the launch of a new digital initiative. The Christian Blind Mission (CBM), led by Country Director David Munyendo, donated ICT equipment to 14 disability medical assessment teams. This donation, which includes laptops and all-in-one computers, is intended to facilitate the digital recording of medical reports and promote a unified system for verifying disability records across public health facilities.
Motari expressed gratitude to the NCPWD, CBM, and the Ministry of Health for their collaborative efforts and called for continued support to extend these digital resources to additional counties. He emphasized the importance of using the newly provided equipment to ensure the security and efficiency of disability data management.
As Kenya prepares to celebrate 20 years of disability inclusion this November, Motari reiterated the government’s commitment to advancing the rights and support for persons with disabilities, urging all stakeholders to continue their dedicated efforts in creating an inclusive environment.
