NGO laments poor disability healthcare in Nigeria

Pledges lifeline for PWDs, vulnerable families
A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), OAKonsult Disabilities Outreach, has lamented that thousands of families in Nigeria continue to face immense challenges in accessing proper healthcare and support for children with disabilities.

According to it, caring for children with disabilities in the country remains an overwhelming challenge. Families face stigma, poor healthcare, financial burdens, and inadequate government support.

The NGO, which promised to bridge this gap by offering a lifeline to vulnerable families, said it would become a hub for holistic support, catering for the spiritual, physical, emotional, and social well-being of children and young people with disabilities, as well as provide diagnostics, therapeutic, rehabilitation services, specialised educational programmes, and access to essential equipment, among others.

Chief Responsibility Officer of OAKonsult, Olufunke Adeloye, said the establishment of the Centre comes from a deeply personal experience, even as she hopes that the initiative will not only transform individual lives but also set a precedent for disability care across Nigeria.

She said: “In April 2010, my daughter, Oluwatoyitan Abigail ChikataraAdeloye, suffered severe brain damage due to medical negligence in Nigeria. Desperate for better care, we relocated to the United Kingdom (UK) where she was diagnosed with complex medical conditions, including Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, and Global Developmental Delay, among others. Despite her struggles, Oluwatoyitan remained a beacon of strength, defying medical expectations until her death at the age of 16 in October 2024.”

Adeloye said that instead of allowing grief to consume her, she turned her pain into purpose, working to create a Centre that would prevent other families from enduring the same hardships, saying: “OAK Centre Prime will provide specialised therapy, medical support, and educational services, offering a holistic approach to disability care in Nigeria.”

She, therefore, called on government agencies, corporate organisations, medical professionals, and the public to support the vision, emphasising that actual change requires collective efforts — from funding and policy enforcement to increased awareness and professional volunteering.

“This is not just about one centre. It’s about creating a movement that ensures every child, regardless of ability, has access to the care and dignity they deserve,” she said.