By: Ohikwo Muhammad
September five every year has been designated by the International Spinal Cord Society, ISCoS as World Spinal Cord Injury Day.
The Day raises public awareness of people with a spinal cord injury, S.C.I. which refers to a damage to any part of the spinal cord or nerves at the end of the spinal canal.
Such injuries often cause permanent changes in strength, sensation, and other body functions below the injury site, and every aspect of life may be affected.
The 2023 SCI Day has as its theme: Access to SCI services; a life less complicated.
On the celebration, individuals with Spinal Cord Injury, S.C.I. in Kogi State want government and other stakeholders to make deliberate efforts towards ensuring their inclusion and guaranteed access to SCI services.
They made the call while speaking to Radio Nigeria Correspondent in Lokoja, the Kogi state Capital.
While recounting her ordeal as an SCI survivor, a Corps member Sefinatu Salawu highlighted some challenges being faced by SCI individuals to include expensive cost of devices, drugs and other consumables, discrimination, inaccessibility of public utilities and buildings among others.
Sefinatu who studied Computer Science explained that she has proficiency in bag and turban-cap making as well as cooking.
Another individual with SCI, Hamza Isa sought for intervention from government and well meaning citizens to provide a properly equipped rehabilitation centre with trained staff to cater for SCI survivors in the state.
Hamza said he had actively participated in the NPower programme as a teacher despite his condition and expressed hope of getting a suitable job as a graduate.
On his part, Abdulraheem Yakubu highlighted some SCI services needed by survivors and advocated more sensization towards ensuring acceptance by members of the public.
Abdulraheem, a computer instructor is also championing political inclusion for SCI individuals in the state haven contested in the last general elections.
They all called on politicians and political parties to prioritize the welfare of individuals with SCI and other vulnerable groups across Nigeria.
