There are currently 11,713 individuals living in Guyana with various forms of disabilities. This is based on the findings of a survey conducted by the National Commission on Disability. The findings also found that the majority of persons with disabilities are domiciled in Region number Three followed by Region Six.
Avonel Corrica, the Advocacy and Communications Officer attached to the National Commission on Disability, said that the information has been entered into a database and must be properly analysed before they can be properly explained.
Surveys were conducted in Region 10 during the period November 1 to December 7, 2017; Region 5 during the period April 12 to May 31, 2017; Region 3 during the period July 11 to September 10, 2018; and Region 2 during the period May 17 to June 30, 2017. Disabilities were categorised as physical/mobility disability, visual/seeing disability, hearing/speech disability, learning/cognitive, mental health, and medical/other disability.
Corrica stated that the data gathered by the commission now becomes useful not only to them but several government ministries and policy makers.
Corrica gave examples such as when the government prepares a budget, plans the construction of new facilities, or the addition of new programmes and said that the requirements of persons with disabilities will become a major determining factor. Also, to cater for the hearing and speech impaired, public institutions and buildings will be expected to have in place persons specialising in sign language to help with communication.
“We want to ensure that we have figures to place to issues when it comes to disability in the regions because we don’t want to assume that there is a certain amount of persons with disabilities in the region and there is nothing to actually validate. So, we did this survey to ascertain their needs their capacities, what assistive devices they might need as well as some services they are entitled to for instance education relating to the disability act,” Corrica said.
The findings have also highlighted to the commission the number of unregistered persons with disabilities currently residing in the country. Corrica noted that with this information, the Guyana Society for the Blind has already tapped into the commission’s database to reach this demographic.
