As the mass medical assessment targeting Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) enters its final stages, community members have been urged to take advantage of the ongoing free three-day exercise.

The initiative, which commenced yesterday, offers comprehensive disability assessments alongside E-Citizen self-registration support to streamline the acquisition of disability certificates.

To facilitate the process, participants are required to present mandatory documents, including a current passport-sized photo, a birth certificate for minors, and original identity cards for adults.

The exercise is currently being decentralized across the region, with stations established at the Wagai Resource Center in West Gem Ward, the Malanga Assistant County Commissioner’s Office in Central Gem, and the Onyinyore Chief’s Camp in South Gem.

Speaking to journalists at the Malanga ACC Office, County NCPWD Officer Bartholomew Ageng’o highlighted the strategic partnership with the Department of Health, which provides the clinical capacity necessary to categorize various disabilities.

Once the medical teams determine a person’s disability and category, the findings are submitted to the County Director for Health for verification.

This verified information is then forwarded to the Council for registration, serving as the final step for individuals to receive their official disability certificates.

Despite the deployment of full registration teams, including clerks and necessary materials, Ageng’o expressed regret over the low turnout reported since the launch of the exercise.

He noted that while stakeholders from the County Government’s departments of Education, Youth, and Social Services have been actively mobilizing residents, there are concerns that vital information may not have effectively reached the targeted communities.

This data collection aligns with National Government plans to establish a robust database of PWDs, which is essential for providing access to critical government programs such as tax reliefs, economic empowerment initiatives, assistive devices, and education scholarships.

The timing of the assessment is particularly significant for learners under the Competency Based Education curriculum who are set to join Grade 10 in 2026.

Ageng’o emphasized the importance of utilizing available financial aid to ensure learners with disabilities remain in school. He specifically pointed to the Elimu, KCB Foundation, and Kenya Pipeline scholarships, noting that the Elimu program has reserved specific slots for PWDs.

With the application deadline for the Elimu scholarship set for December 23, 2025, parents and guardians are encouraged to visit sub-county offices immediately to avoid a last-minute rush.

For those who may be unable to attend the current three-day mass exercise, officials clarified that assessments will continue at sub-county and county health facilities, including Bondo, Yala, and the Siaya County Referral Hospital.