The Special Assistant to the Abia State Governor on People with Disability (PWD), Mr. David Anyaele, has reaffirmed government support to ensure access to quality education and healthcare services to benefit Cerebral Palsy children and other Persons With Disabilities.
Mr. David Anyaele made the statement in Umuahia during The Straight Child Foundation (TSCF) special March edition of the Parent Support Group to mark 2024 Cerebral Palsy, CP awareness month.
Mr. Anyaele tasked parents of children with CP to continue to create awareness and to support the government to ensure that stigmatization and discrimination, among other barriers against their children, are removed.
Mr Anyaele noted that disability is not about the disadvantaged; hence, there is a need for parents to support their CP children to attain greater heights in life.
“Issues concerning Cerebral palsy are silent in Abia State, Nigeria, and most countries. It is only at a forum like this that we are able to escalate and give them and their parents the voice to share their experiences so that society will be able to understand approaches and the best ways to support them.
“The outcome documents from this meeting should be shared with me to guide us in terms of areas of intervention so that we will not implement amiss. I believe together we will be able to find solutions to some of these issues.”
A guest speaker at the event, Dr. Chidomere Roseann, Consultant Pediatrician/Child neurologist, encouraged parents on early detection and intervention to enable the Cerebral Palsy child to overcome the disability and actualize his or her potential.
She said since CP is a lifelong condition, the target of treatment is to manage the symptoms with the aim of minimizing the progressing disability, relieving pain, and maximizing independence to achieve a long, healthy life.
Earlier in a remark, the TSCF founder, Dr. Peace Amaraegbulam, noted that Cerebral Palsy Awareness offers parents of CP children, those living with CP, and citizens the avenue to come together to raise awareness and also show support for individuals living with cerebral palsy.
Cerebral palsy is a group of neurological disorders that affect movement, posture, and muscle coordination. It is caused by abnormal brain development or damage to the developing brain, usually before birth. Individuals with CP may experience various symptoms, including muscle stiffness, weakness, and difficulties with balance and coordination.
While CP is a lifelong condition, early intervention and therapy can significantly improve quality of life and functional abilities.