The Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) has said in a recent reply to a written interpellation by lawmaker-cum-civil engineer Leong Hong Sai that it will cooperate with local associations in setting up a resource centre on assistive devices for residents this year.
Leong submitted his written interpellation on May 22, and the bureau replied on June 24, a copy of which was sent to the media yesterday.
According to the bureau, the future resource centre aims to provide residents with services such as assessment of their needs for assistive devices, purchase of such devices, lessons on how to use them, and promotion of education work in the community.
Assistive devices are external devices that are designed, made, or adapted to assist a person to perform a particular task. Many people with disabilities depend on assistive devices to enable them to carry out daily activities and participate actively and productively in community life.
In the written interpellation, Leong asked the government to step up its efforts in promoting technological research and development in order to encourage the research and development of related products, and introduce more technological products and assistive devices that are beneficial to people with disabilities, so as to provide more comfortable living conditions for them.
The bureau said in its reply that after consulting rehabilitation service associations and disabled persons’ organisations on the government’s pilot schemes in 2019 and 2021 to support persons with disabilities in acquiring assistive devices and special home equipment, the types and items of assistive devices and special home equipment covered by the subsidy had been increased to 78, which included assistive devices using intelligent technology and therapeutic footwear.
According to the bureau, the pilot scheme accepts applications for up to three items such as pieces of equipment, and the amount of the subsidy for each item is capped at 50 percent of the cost of each time, not exceeding 10,000 patacas in total.
In addition, Leong asked the government to add barrier-free facilities and wheelchair navigation functions to the Transport Bureau’s (DSAT) “Macao Smart Go” mobile app.
The Transport Bureau was quoted in the IAS’s reply as saying that for the time being it did not yet have a detailed timetable for the additions to the app as it involves access to relevant data of different entities.
This undated handout photo shows lawmaker-cum-civil engineer Leong Hong Sai posing for a photo, released by Leong’s office to the media yesterday.
