DISC Initiative Launched to Push for Disability-Inclusive Public Services

By Khulisani Siziba

The Disability Inclusive Card (DISC) Initiative was on Friday launched at the Samaritans Building in partnership with Transparency International Zimbabwe (TIZ), with a focus on improving public service delivery for persons with disabilities (PWDs) particularly in the health sector.

Spearheaded by Tariro Gurure, DISC brought together a team of persons with disabilities, individuals who assessed the inclusivity and accessibility of local public clinics. Gurure noted that the findings revealed a concerning lack of infrastructure designed to support PWDs, calling for urgent action.”We need to priotise inclusively, we need to prioritise in making sure that persons with disabilities are heard and the power of a collective voice. So eventually l hope in the next 3 years we see the visible change in the health sector”, she said.

Methembe Sithole, a researcher and member of the PWD community who took part in the assessment, echoed these concerns, highlighting how infrastructural challenges create discomfort and stigma. “Confidence is one if the things that matters to us and if we are not confident about ourselves it makes it hard to express ourselves,” said Sithole.

Ward 2 Councillor Adrian Rendani Moyo acknowledged that while progress has been made, such as introducing a sign language interpreter in council meetings more needs to be done.”We believe that people with disabilities are an important voice in service delivery issues and development spaces,” stated the councilor.

The DISC initiative serves as a wake-up call for local authorities to strengthen inclusive infrastructure and ensure that all citizens regardless of ability can access services with dignity and ease.