The government has called for the full implementation of national strategies aimed at improving the rights, protection and welfare of persons with disabilities, saying stronger coordination among local authorities and stakeholders is essential to ensure inclusive service delivery.
The call was made on Friday, June 26, 2026, during the opening of a training programme on the National Action Plan on the Rights and Welfare of Persons with Albinism (NAP-RWPA) and the National Assistive Technology Strategy (NATS) in Mwanza.
Speaking on behalf of Mwanza Regional Administrative Secretary Balandya Elikana, Regional Medical Officer Dr Kheri Kagya urged local government authorities, government institutions and disability stakeholders to integrate the two frameworks into their plans and budgets.
“The implementation of these national frameworks is crucial to improving access to services and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities, particularly persons with albinism,” Dr Kagya said.
He commended the Prime Minister's Office responsible for Policy, Parliament, Coordination and Persons with Disabilities for coordinating policies that promote inclusion and equal opportunities.
According to Dr Kagya, wider dissemination of the two policy documents will equip local government officials and disability organisations with the knowledge needed to improve service delivery while combating discrimination, violence and abuse against persons with albinism.
He said the Sixth Phase Government has expanded programmes that support persons with disabilities, including improved healthcare, inclusive education, economic empowerment through the mandatory allocation of 10 percent of local government loans and 30 percent of public procurement opportunities, as well as increased access to assistive technologies.
Despite this progress, he noted that access to assistive devices remains limited, reducing opportunities for many persons with disabilities and older people to live independently and participate fully in social and economic activities.
“Assistive technology enables people with disabilities to live independently and participate productively in society. We therefore need stronger collaboration to implement the National Assistive Technology Strategy 2024–2027,” he said.
Dr Kagya also urged regional and council authorities to allocate adequate budgets for sunscreen lotion for persons with albinism and assistive devices for persons with disabilities, while ensuring that knowledge gained during the training is shared widely among public officials.
Meanwhile, Jacob Mwinula, a Legal Officer from the Prime Minister's Office representing the Acting Director of the Persons with Disabilities Unit, said similar awareness programmes have already been conducted in Mwanza, Geita, Mara, Manyara and Kilimanjaro regions.
He called on local authorities, government sectors and the Tanzania Federation of Disabled People's Organisations (SHIVYAWATA) to mainstream the implementation of the two frameworks into their development plans and strengthen monitoring and evaluation to improve the social, political and economic inclusion of persons with disabilities.
