The Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare has intensified efforts to strengthen disability inclusion and improve service delivery for persons with disabilities (PWDs), with Day 2 of the Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) field visit in Mwenezi.
In a statement the Ministry said the visit is designed to take stock of both progress made and gaps within existing rehabilitation structures that serve persons with disabilities at community level.
“Day 2 of the Community-Based Rehabilitation field visit in Mwenezi continued with a focus on reviewing current implementation strategies and assessing operational challenges facing rehabilitation centres serving persons with disabilities,” the Ministry said.
The Ministry said the initiative reflects Government’s commitment to strengthening disability inclusion systems through evidence-based planning and real-time field assessments.
“The exercise forms part of the Government’s broader monitoring and strengthening framework for disability inclusion across Zimbabwe, with Government taking deliberate note of both successes and gaps emerging from the field,” the Ministry added.
The Community-Based Rehabilitation programme is being used as a key mechanism to improve access to essential services for persons with disabilities, particularly in rural and marginalised communities.
The Ministry said findings from the Mwenezi field visit will directly inform national strategies aimed at improving service delivery across all provinces and districts.
“The objective is to use these real-time findings to strengthen and improve Community Based Rehabilitation implementation across all provinces and districts,” the Ministry said.
A key focus of the programme is improving access to assistive devices, with Government prioritising equitable distribution of wheelchairs, hearing aids, prosthetics and mobility aids to rural communities.
The Ministry said the initiative is also working to strengthen supply chains and ensure sustainability in the delivery of assistive devices, while enhancing community-level support systems.
“Particular attention is being placed on the Government’s ongoing initiative to improve inclusion and access to assistive devices for persons with disabilities,” the statement said.
The programme is being implemented in alignment with national policy frameworks, including the Persons with Disabilities Act and the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), which emphasise inclusivity and the principle of leaving no one behind.
