Beyond politics [Archives:2007/1069/Viewpoint]
I have read a recent news article on the disabilities in Lahj, which is a small town in South Yemen; around 40 minutes drive from Aden. Last week, Rada Barnen Save the Children – Sweden funded training, which comes after a survey conducted in the governorate covering 21 areas and including 386 families, for mothers of disabled children.
According to the news report, the survey, which included children suffering from chronic diseases such as leukaemia, Haemophilia, kidney failure, cardiac problems tc, concluded that there are 625 cases of disabilities found in the surveyed area.
In 386 families, 625 disability cases were found. Can you imagine the gravity of this number? This means every family had at least one case of disability on average.
I can't confirm the accuracy of these numbers, but unless the percentage of error is more than 70%, which is still scary.
The director of the special needs association in Lahj, who conducted the survey, commented on the difficulties his team had when collecting the data. He also indicated that in addition to the scattered villages they had to cover, many of the families were hardly educated and were suspicious of the survey and its team. Further, he pointed out that some families refused to cooperate with the researchers. “They refused to tell us the number of children in the family, fearing the results would yield a negative impact on their families,” he commented.
Amusingly, the team not only had a hard time with the remote areas, the heat, the families, but also with the stray dogs which had given the researchers the fright of their lives.
Children are our future. With such a high percentage of disability this future is harmed. Many of the reasons behind disabilities have to do with education and healthcare provision.
Taking care of our children is much more important that the political disputes and the political party conflicts that take up the news every day.
More than one disabled child per family in Lahj is something that should not be taken lightly. It is a problem that should be dealt with immediately and on the highest level. For the sake of our children, for the sake of our future.
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