Pajhwok report prompts support for disabled siblings

ZARANJ (Pajhwok): Following the publication of a Pajhwok Afghan News report revealing that limited access to healthcare in Baynaz village in northwestern Nimroz, had resulted in the disability of a brother and sister, provincial officials have taken action.

The head of the Martyrs and Disabled Affairs Department, accompanied by a delegation, visited the remote village to assist the affected family.

On May 4, Pajhwok published a report titled “Nimroz villagers mourn lives lost to no health coverage,” which featured the story of Faiza and Sadees, siblings who were paralyzed in childhood due to not receiving the polio vaccine.

On Wednesday, Maulvi Mohammad Fateh, head of the Martyrs and Disabled Affairs Department in Nimroz, visited Baynaz along with a team and met with Faiza and Sadees’ family.

During the visit, Maulvi Fateh advised the siblings to visit the provincial office with their national ID cards (Tazkira) and photographs in order to receive official disability cards, which would qualify them for monthly financial assistance. He also promised that the department would soon provide each of them with a wheelchair.

Meanwhile, Hafez Rahmat Shahidzada, General Director of Aid Coordination for the Martyrs and Disabled Affairs Department, told Pajhwok:

“We thank Pajhwok and their journalist for bringing the situation of these two disabled youths in this remote area to our attention. Until now, we were unaware of their condition. We are here to assess the situation and have decided to officially register them and include them in the monthly support program.”

He emphasized that the media—especially Pajhwok—have consistently played a critical role in amplifying the voices of the people and highlighting the challenges faced by communities in even the most remote parts of the country.

Faiza and Sadees, with tears of joy, expressed their gratitude, saying that they now had hope for a better life through improved access to healthcare and mobility support provided by the government.

“We are very happy that the government paid attention to us,” said Sadees. “We thank the Pajhwok reporter who helped bring the government to our remote village to support us.”

sa/ma