THERE is a need for more specially designed vehicles to transport bedridden patients from their homes to medical facilities, says Vatukoula Gold Mines Limited staff member Tobia Seru.
Mr Seru raised the issue at the press event in Tavua on Wednesday.
Land Transport Authority manager corporate services Samuela Veitala confirmed a study on equitable access for the most vulnerable in societies was being conducted.
“This study is part of our current financial year project once this is completed with our overseas partners, especially the World Bank,” he said.
“We will be conducting awareness and with our members so that they can have access to any mode of public transport, whether it’s taxis, minibuses, or buses.”
Information Minister and panellist Lynda Tabuya said all people living with disabilities were entitled to a transport allowance, which previously used to be limited to bus cards.
“Now it has been converted into a cash top-up. It is a cash allowance given to all who qualify as a person living with disabilities in the ministry for disabilities, Ministry for Women,” she said.
“So, you can use whichever mode of transport through that disability allowance to travel. That can be the minibus, the taxi, any form of transport that would be suitable for you to be transported in if you need an emergency or if you need to be transported from A to B.”
Ms Tabuya said this was the prime objective for the transportation allowance and the budgetary allocation of $18.5million to the Alliance for Persons Living with Disability.
“It’s not for your families to use. It’s not for someone else to use. It is for you to use, for your purposes, to be able to be transported, whether you are well or whether you are unwell.
“So please, family members, please ensure that money is used for our people with disabilities, for their transport needs, not for anything else.”
