Caregivers of children with cerebral palsy in Elgeyo Marakwet County have urged the County Government to establish specialised clinics in all health centres to cater for people living with the condition.
Janet Kiprotich, a mother of a 13-year-old child living with cerebral palsy, said most parents are forced to travel long distances to the Iten County Referral Hospital to access therapy and related services.
Speaking at the Iten Sportsground, Mrs Kiprotich said transporting such children is both costly and exhausting, especially since therapy sessions are required once or twice a week.
“I would like to appeal to health authorities in the county to ensure we can access medical services at health centres near our homes to save us from transport challenges,” she said.
She noted that children with cerebral palsy often suffer from low immunity, requiring frequent medical attention.
While acknowledging the government and religious institutions for establishing special schools, Mrs Kiprotich said some children, such as her own, who cannot walk or speak, cannot attend school, leaving parents to teach them basic life skills at home.
Due to a shortage of professionals who can support children outside the formal education system, Mrs Kiprotich said she has resorted to social media to learn how to homeschool her child.
“I am lucky because I can access the internet, but many parents do not have that privilege, either due to lack of gadgets or knowledge,” she added.
She further highlighted the challenges of balancing work and caregiving, noting that caring for a child with special needs is demanding, whether one is employed formally or works in the informal sector.
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“I depend on a house help to care for my child when I am at work, but there are many parents who cannot afford to hire one and are therefore unable to engage in any income-generating activity,” she said.
She also appealed to the government to consider tax relief for working parents who double as caregivers for children with special needs, similar to the exemptions granted to workers with disabilities.
Mrs Kiprotich thanked the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) for donating wheelchairs to caregivers, saying the devices will greatly ease the mobility of affected children.
NCPD County Coordinator Lydia Matende assured that the organisation will continue providing assistive devices to persons with disabilities and encouraged them to come forward and register.
“We want every person with a disability to register so that they can benefit from our support programmes,” said Matende.
By Kimutai Langat
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