MPGIS Appreciates Awareness on National Disability Inclusive Development Policy, 2023-2031
Staff of the Ministry of the Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening (MPGIS) expressed appreciation for the awareness of the Solomon Islands National Disability Inclusive Development Policy (SINDIDP) 2022-2031 carried out by Officers of the National Physiotherapy Rehabilitation Division (NPRD) of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS). This awareness was conducted at the MPGIS conference room on October 7, 2024.
During the information sharing on the SINDIDP 2023-2031, the new Permanent Secretary for the MPGIS, Dr. Derek Futaiasi, welcomed the NPRD officers and praised the MHMS for the timeliness of the policy that, he said, is set to address disability inclusion. Deputy Secretary of Governance, Mr. Robert Kaua, who chaired the meeting, reinforced PS Futaiasi’s sentiments, adding that the MPGIS, as a Ministry responsible for the Nine Provinces in the country, stands ready to assist in any way it can to address disability and rehabilitation, which, he said, is a huge challenge for public health.
Momodou Lamin Sawaneh, Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) of the Provincial Governance Strengthening Programme (PGSP) and Programme Manager of the Integrated Economic Development and Community Resilience Project (IEDCR), a project of the PGSP, notified the NPRD officials that the MPGIS and the Nine Provinces have actually already started implementing disability-sensitive infrastructure projects through the PGSP and its performance-based grant.
The CTA Momodou explained much to the appreciation of the MHMS officers that through the PGSP’s Provincial Capacity Development Fund (PCDF) funded projects in the social sector, projects in education and health (classrooms and clinics) implemented by the Nine Provinces comply with the Ministry of Education and MHMS building design standards.
Momodou provided instances of PCDF-funded clinics that were built utilising the MHMS design, including Kusumba and Tsitsinge in Guadalcanal, during the talks. In response to community demands, he continued, 22% of PCDF funds have already been allocated to the infrastructure of the health sector. Momodou confirms that the Nine Provinces have invested a total of about SBD37 million in 133 worthwhile health-related projects to date.
He further assured the team that the MPGIS would continue to support the sector and incorporate more inclusion for marginalised and disabled people. During his intervention, the CTA brought up the question of how the regulations will impact the buildings that do not currently comply with the upcoming laws. He gave the Anthony Saru Building and the MHMS headquarters as examples of places where a disabled person might not be able to work if there is no working lift.
The NPRD officials recognised and cited the creation of Ward Development Committees (WDCs) and the appointment of Ward Support Officers (WSOs) through the PGSP’s IEDCR as a more effective structure and a prearranged channel for the MHMS, acting through their Provincial Health Directors, to work together on data collection and furthering the SINDIDP’s noble objectives.
While congratulating the NRDP/MHMS on the successful ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), Mr. David Hiru, Chief Legal Officer in the MPGIS, raised the question of whether plans are in place to enact national legislation to reinforce and domesticate the UNCRPD’s goal, spirit, and provisions.
Generally, the MPGIS staff applaud and appreciate the SINDIDP 2023-2301, raising the need for more collaboration between the MHMS, the MPGIS, and the Nine Provinces about investment and delivery of quality health services, especially when it comes to addressing issues and dealing with people with disabilities.
Disability and Programme Coordinator, Mr. Elwin Taloimatakwa, and Director of NRDP, Mrs. Elsie Taloafiri, presented the vision and objectives of the SINDIDP, the disability paradigm shifts, the SINDIDP 2023-2031, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), equity and rights in systems and services, and discussions, identification, and mapping of institutional document frameworks and stakeholders.
In a nutshell, the NRDP pair emphasised the significance of the SINDIDP 2023–2031, referencing the idea of a Solomon Islands society that supports individuals with disabilities as equal members with rights in the nation’s development. The policy adopts the principles of the UNCRDP and the twin-track approach of disability mainstreaming and disability-specific in its implementation. The SINDIDP 10-year policy aligns with the MHMS National Health Strategic Plan 2022-2031.
Actual groundwork on the SINDIDP started in 2013 with consultations with non-government organisations (NGOs), faith-based organisations (FBOs), private sectors, state-owned enterprises (SOEs), provincial administrations, and government ministries. Deputy Secretary Health Improvement, Dr. Nemia Bainivalu, chaired the Disability Policy Development Working Group (DPDWG). The working group comprises MHMS, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), the Ministry of Women, Youth, Family, and Children Affairs (MWYFCA), and the Disability People’s Association of Solomon Islands.
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-MPGIS
