Many concessions for the differently abled

COLOMBO: Minister of Social Service and Social Welfare Douglas Devananda who is also the Chairman of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, resorted to measures to grant many a concession to the persons with disabilities at a recent meeting held at his office, states a Social Service and Social Welfare Ministry press release.

Invitees to the meeting included officials from the Ministry of Healthcare and Nutrition, Department of Railways, Department of Posts and Telecommunications and the Sri Lanka Transport Board.

The Minister instructed the Health Ministry representatives to provide differently abled people accessibility to all hospitals and 'Osusala' outlets.

He also instructed them to use brail imprinted tokens and video display units at the Osusala outlets in all the three languages for the convenience of the visually and hearing impaired and to grant a five per cent discount on all pharmaceutical purchase to the disabled irrespective of age, as is in practise at present to the senior citizens above 55 years of age.

The Minister said that he would hold discussions with Minister of Healthcare and Nutrition Nimal Siripala de Silva to explore the possibility of granting more relief to the disabled.

It was also decided to request the Unions of the Medical officers to indicate in issuing prescriptions that the patient so receiving treatment is a person with disability.

Minister Devananda instructed Railway Department officials to provide better accessibility facilities to the platforms and make available a separate compartment for the disabled with every facility possible to make them feel at home.

It was also brought to the notice of the Minister by the officials from the Department of Railways that accessibility and toilet facilities for the differently abled have already been provided at the Maradana, Seeduwa, Ratmalana and Slave Island Railway stations.

Rs. 144,575 had been spent for toilet facility at the Slave Island Railway station and Rs. 35,894 had been spent for accessibility facilities at the Ratmalana railway station while Rs. 42,000 had been spent to improve toilet facilities at the Seeduwa railway station for the disabled.

Funds for these projects have been allocated from the Ministry of Social Services and Social Welfare.

The Minister also instructed that Railway Warrants be granted to senior citizens once a year, in accordance with the Mahinda Chintana programme.

The Minister instructed representatives from the Sri Lanka Transport Board to provide the same facilities on SLTB buses for the differently abled.

Discussions will be held with Transport Minister Dallas Alahapperuma regarding this matter. The Minister instructed the Postal Department officials to provide accessibility facilities at the 380 selected Post Offices.

Ministry Secretary V. Jegarasasingham, S. Thavarajah, Private Secretary to the Minister, his advisor Maheswary Velautham, Attorney-at-Law and members of the National Committee for Persons with Disabilities were also present.