Tendai Gukutikwa
Health Reporter
PERSONS with disabilities are expected to play a pivotal role in discussions on healthcare access, accessibility, and inclusion when Manicaland hosts the 2027 National Disability Expo at Sakubva Stadium in Mutare.
The national event will bring together persons with disabilities, Government departments, organisations, businesses, and stakeholders to showcase abilities and address barriers limiting participation in social and economic life.
National Disability Expo 2027 chairperson, Mrs Tsitsi Munyebvu, said the event will be held in June 2027.
She said the event will provide a platform for persons with disabilities from across the country to demonstrate capabilities, while drawing attention to the need for services accommodating diverse needs.
“Persons with disabilities are not merely recipients of assistance. We are citizens with rights, skills, ideas, talents and the capacity to contribute to the development of our country. In healthcare, persons with disabilities usually encounter barriers when facilities, equipment, information and communication methods do not accommodate their needs. Such obstacles can make it difficult for some people to obtain health information, communicate with healthcare workers or access services independently and that is what we want to discuss and find solutions for during the expo,” she said.
Mrs Munyebvu said disability inclusion requires more than public recognition, calling for accessible infrastructure, inclusive services, and meaningful participation in decisions affecting lives.
“The different needs of people with disabilities have to be recognised when providing services, as the experiences of a wheelchair user differs from a person with a visual impairment, who is deaf or one with an intellectual or psychosocial disability,” she said.
The Expo will provide an opportunity for persons with disabilities to share experiences, display innovations, and engage stakeholders on issues affecting service access and community participation.
Mrs Munyebvu said the views of persons with disabilities should inform decisions concerning them, rather than having policies shaped without meaningful involvement.
“Their lived experiences must inform our planning, decision-making and implementation. Inclusion cannot be achieved by making decisions on behalf of persons with disabilities without involving them meaningfully,” she said, adding that the event will offer a platform for entrepreneurs, young people, women, and professionals with disabilities to showcase skills, market products, and establish connections with potential employers, investors, and business partners.
Mrs Munyebvu said economic empowerment is vital for disability inclusion, as income-earning opportunities strengthen independence and improve livelihoods.
“The Expo will also provide a meaningful platform for persons with disabilities to market their products, display their skills, establish business connections, engage potential employers and investors, and explore opportunities for financial inclusion,” she said, adding that accessibility will be a key consideration for the proposed event, including exhibition spaces, sanitation facilities, transport arrangements, communication systems, and information materials.
The Expo will draw participants from Manicaland and other parts of Zimbabwe.
Mrs Munyebvu acknowledged Government support for the National Disability Expo Programme, which has provided opportunities for persons with disabilities to contribute to national development.
“Disability inclusion is a shared responsibility involving Government, local authorities, businesses, community organisations and persons with disabilities themselves,” she said, adding that success should be measured by created opportunities and partnerships rather than attendance figures alone.
“The true success of the Expo will not be measured by attendance alone, but by the opportunities created, partnerships established and positive changes experienced by persons with disabilities,” she said.
Disability Expo to spotlight healthcare access
