Kaduna launches wheelchair distribution for 100 children with mobility challenges under BAWOP programme

The Kaduna State government has started distributing 100 paediatric wheelchairs to children with mobility impairments. The effort is part of the Build-A-World of Play (BAWOP) programme, implemented with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and supported by the LEGO Foundation. The handover occurred at a ceremony attended by senior officials, health leaders and development partners, where CHAI formally transferred the wheelchairs to the state. Rakiya A. Umar, Executive Secretary of the Kaduna State Disability Affairs Board, said the wheelchairs offer postural support with headrests, backrests and positioning straps to prevent long-term physical deformities. Each child receives a custom fitting, and caregivers are trained in safe use and maintenance.

The initiative involves the State Disability Affairs Board, SUBEB and the State Primary Health Care Board. It aligns with Kaduna's disability-inclusive policy, focusing on early identification, assistive technology and play-based development. Other devices distributed include crutches, back slabs, ankle boots, sitting and standing boxes, eyeglasses and guide canes. More than 171,000 children have been screened for developmental delays through Early Childhood Development assessments in schools, clinics and communities. These screenings cover hearing, vision, mobility, cognition and communication. Esther Jibji, Director of Special Programmes at SUBEB, credited CHAI for turning policy into measurable action. Over 2,000 children have been identified through state screenings, according to Cecelia Marcus, focal person at the State Primary Health Care Board. She called for continued government-led support to expand rehabilitation access. "Sustained government-led support is needed to ensure early identification and expand access to rehabilitation services," Marcus said.

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