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The Ministry of Health (MOH) represented by the Directorate General of Primary Health Care as well as the Directorate General of Specialized Medical Care marked on Wednesday the International Day of Persons with Disability under the auspices of H.H. Sayyid Faisal bin Turki Al Said at Al Qurm Natural Park.

The day, held under the slogan “Together Partners in Development”, joined collaborative efforts of number of non-governmental organizations, colleges, and voluntary teams. The celebration aimed at creating a platform for the public institutions and NGOs concerned with persons with disabilities to include and raise awareness of this particular category in the community in addition to showcase their relevant works.

The event included an awareness exhibition, which highlighted achievements of the participating organizations along with that of the children’s.  Moreover, the event involved a walkathon and number of stage performance played by the Oman Association for Disabled. Recreational activities and children games were also presented at the event. 

It is worth to mention that it is estimated that more than one billion people worldwide are experiencing some forms of disability (15% of population). This global estimate for disability is on the rise due to population ageing and the rapid spread of chronic diseases. in the Sultanate, the number of population registered with disabilities reached 34861 in 2016, in which 65% of them are male, according to the Statistical Year Book for the year 2017 issued  the by National Center for Statistics and Information (NCSI).