Parkop vows to provide services for the disabled

NCD Governor Powes Parkop says he is making it his responsibility to ensure services such as PMVs were available to the public, especially people living with disabilities.
“The disabled are equal citizens and for PNG to experience quantitative change, such people must be given equal opportunities in the society.
“We must bring the disabled back to the mainstream, just like any normal human being,” Mr Parkop said at the presentation of devices donated to people with disabilities by the National Board for Disabled Persons (NBDP) yesterday.
Mr Pakop congratulated the board and said: “This event is a first of its kind in history where such devices are given free to the disabled who needed them.”
PNGNBDP chairman Brown Kapi said that it was time the government took ownership of disabilities instead of just non-governmental organisations and churches.
“The Government should protect and promote the rights of the disabled. The devices were bought from India and the NBDP had distributed the devices to its agents in Manus, Lae, East Sepik and Madang for them to be distributed to the disabled,” he said.
The devices cost K75,000 and the Health Department chipped in with K354,000.
More than 60 people with disabilities turned up at the National Orthotic & Prosthetic Services-POMGH to collect their special device.