A PERSON with disability in his 30s has called on the Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) under the Ministry of Health to attend to its members’ needs.
Edwin Kuba made the call after what he claimed as CBR’s failure to respond positively to his request for assistance.
“It seems like CBR is not doing its work and revealed its purposes as an organisation,” a disappointed Mr Kuba said.
Mr Kuba, from Guadalcanal, was not born a disabled man.
Instead, he suffered from fire burns and broken bones, which left him to use scratches to move around.
He was unable to do anything and as a disabled person he was kept at the Good Samaritan Hospital in northeast Guadalcanal.
“It’s a sad thing indeed when you got to the office you registered under as a disability person with your needs and only to hear the officer says you are not a disabled person,” Mr Kuba said.
“And he said sorry your needs should not be considered because you are not a disabled man.
“I registered under the Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) in 2014 but since then they’ve provided me with no help despite my request put to them.
“I visited the office and tell them my needs but they were not helpful,” he claimed.
Mr Kuba said the scratches he’s using were bought by himself, while a friend donated him a chair which he used at home to sit down and relax.
“This is the sort of help the CBR should be providing to disabled people who registered with them.
“There were others like me who were assisted so I don’t see any reason why I was neglected.
“What’s so special about others?
“Such help should be distributed fairly,” he said.
He said for CBR to register people with special needs just for report purposes and for self-benefits must be discouraged.
“Think of the people like us,” he said with tears rolling down his face.
Mr Kuba added that the government and other donors should only work with organisations that truly help people and not those who are selective.
“It’s sad to see people with special needs registered under such organisation with the hope to get help being turned back or rejected.
“I made several calls or request for my walking stick and a chair but no positive response was received from them (CBR) so I have to use my pocket money and ask friends to help,” Mr Kuba said.
Comments are being sought from CBR.
By STEPHEN DI’ISANGO
