Give priority to issues on disability, says PM

concerted efforts by different sectors.
He was addressing delegates to the 21st session of the African Rehabilitation Institute governing body meeting in Harare yesterday.
The session was held under the theme: “Restructuring the African Rehabilitation Institute towards responding to modern trends in disability” and was attended by delegates from 26 countries.

“The theme of this session challenges all of us to address structural issues in the institute, that it champions the affairs of disabled people and respond to modern trends,” said Mr Tsvangirai.
“We should develop the concept of African self-reliance in various fields of medical rehabilitation, special education and equal employment opportunities for the disabled.”
Mr Tsvangirai commended ARI for recording great results in manpower development and research in the field of disability prevention.

He said the organisation played a leading role in implementing the Extended Africa Decade for Persons with Disabilities.
The African Union commissioner for social affairs, Advocate Bience Gawans, said the organisation had advanced the lives of disabled people.
“At the last session held in Windhoek last year, there were a number of significant outputs facilitated by the AU Commission that will translate into visible outcomes, which we are bound to be proud of,” said Adv Gawans.

The Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Paurina Mupariwa said ARI was of great value and Zimbabwe was honoured to host its session.
The outgoing chairperson of the Ministerial Bureau of the 20th session, Ms Petrina Haingura said the meeting was important for mapping the way forward for the co-ordination of services for the disabled.

Ms Haingura, who is also the Namibian Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services, said the meeting would decide on structures with specific mandates.
“We realise that the ARI is a unique and promising opportunity to prove Africa’s commitment to disability in social development and to provide due recognition to the central role played by the disabled,” she said.

ARI was established in 1988 with the objective of developing a unified approach for promoting the development of prevention and rehabilitation services.
It was also mandated to create facilities to satisfy the needs of handicapped Africans who, because of their disability, found it difficult to adapt themselves to the rapidly changing world.