LABASA Town has become the first municipality to cater for the needs of people living with disabilities particularly for those on wheelchairs.
Known as Mdisability, the program was launched yesterday by representatives from the Vodafone ATH Fiji Foundation, Spinal Injury Association and lecturers from the Fiji National University's Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences.
Foundation executive officer Ambalika Devi said the program had seen the town council construct special footpaths for wheelchair users.
"Labasa Town is the first in Fiji and that is why we have launched the Mdisability here because the town council has made some point of entry and exits along the footpaths for those who use wheelchairs.
"The Mdisability concept is in partnership with the SIA and the Foundation and we are grateful to the FNU and Motivation Australia for conducting training for community workers who would be point of contacts for those who need wheelchairs," Ms Devi said.
Lecturer Maria Waloki said at the launching, that the training of the 11 participants who worked at community level and special schools included the assessment of applications.
Ms Waloki said the participants were being trained to assess the applicants, which ensured that the right wheelchairs were given to the right recipients.