The large number of persons with disabilities being treated for drug addiction at home and “in-community” by the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) is both confusing and surprising, said Senator Isaiah Jacob.
When met in Parliament, Isaiah, who was just appointed yesterday as PKR’s Dewan Negara representative for Kuala Lumpur, said there are often different sides of the story when it comes to matters related to the disabled community.
“The figure they gave yesterday is confusing everybody. Even I can’t believe there are that many people.
“That’s the reason I will work together with the Welfare Department to put everything in order and so maybe that will help everybody,” he told Malaysiakini.
Isaiah said this when asked for comments on Deputy Home Minister Shamsul Anuar Nasarah’s reply in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
Shamsul said the AADK has carried out “in-community” treatment for a vast majority of the 70,000 persons with disabilities recovering from drug addiction.
“You look at the Welfare Department, I don’t think they have proper records of these things,” said Isaiah, who is also a person with disabilities.
“So what I’m planning to do is to improve the system, the data must be correct.
“If the data is not correct, then this is where we have a problem,” he said.
To start, Isaiah said the department could work on improving the registration of persons with disabilities and updating their individual conditions, so they may gain access to treatments such as dialysis or rehabilitation.
Yesterday, Shamsul said 85 disabled individuals undergoing rehabilitation at AADK centres were among those with “physical capabilities” to take care of themselves.
On the other hand, he said the vast majority being treated at home in their communities were disabled and required assistance for daily activities such as eating and cleaning themselves. - Mkini
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