Muscat: The Sultanate, represented by the Ministry of Social Development, marked the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), which falls on December 3.
Themed " Building Back Better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 World," the ceremony celebrating the IDPD was held under the auspices of Dr Mahad Said Baowain, Minister of Labour on Monday. Present at the ceremony was attended by Laila Ahmed al Najjar, Minister of Social Development.
Hamoud al Shabibi, Director General of Persons with Disabilities Affairs, delivered a speech saying, "The theme of this year's IDPD is held due to the outbreak of Covid-19 which has affected various aspects of people's lives in general and persons with disabilities in particular as they are more vulnerable to being impacted by this virus due to many social and environmental barriers. They are also vulnerable because of the closure of social and rehabilitative services and the failure provide them with information in an easily accessible way, besides the health conditions of severely and multi-disabled people who are also vulnerable to infection with the virus due to their weak immunity, and the difficulty facing some of them in terms of applying the necessary physical distancing".
He said that the Sultanate has taken a set of preventive measures at the local level to limit the spread of the virus among persons with disabilities, such as suspending schooling and rehabilitation programs in governmental, and private rehabilitation centers, and translating awareness programs and the official statement issued in sign language.
At the end of the ceremony, the Minister of Labour honoured some outstanding persons with disabilities at volunteering, sports, media, poetry, acting, managing a special project, in addition to honouring retired people working in the field of disability and companies supporting projects and programs for persons with disabilities. --ONA
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