NTB Governor targets disability-friendly hospitals across NTB

Mataram (ANTARA) - West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Governor Lalu Muhamad Iqbal aims to ensure all provincial government-owned hospitals employ staff proficient in sign language and trained to accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities.

“The initiative is part of the local government’s commitment to providing inclusive, child-friendly healthcare services that are easily accessible to persons with disabilities,” Iqbal said in Mataram on Sunday.

He made the statement during the launch of the “Cerah” (Bright) Program, which includes child-friendly and disability-inclusive eye care services at the NTB Eye Hospital, which was in conjunction with the commemoration of World Sight Day 2026, themed “Healthy Eyes, A Brighter Future.”

Iqbal emphasized that child-friendly and disability-inclusive services should not remain only an innovation at the NTB Eye Hospital, but they must also become the standard across all healthcare facilities operated by the local government.

“I asked that every hospital under the West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Government must have staff who can use sign language. At least there should be two individuals proficient in sign language present at the customer service desk every day,” Iqbal said.

According to him, accessibility is a fundamental aspect of public service. Every citizen, including those with disabilities, must have equal opportunity to receive proper care tailored to their specific needs.

Iqbal also underscored the importance of prevention, early detection, and rapid response in addressing vision impairments.

He expressed his appreciation for his predecessors, who laid the foundation for eye care services in NTB by establishing the Eye Health Center in 2000.

He hopes that the development of eye care services will be directed toward the long-term goal of reducing the incidence of blindness in NTB to the lowest possible level.

"Our aspiration is that, at some point, NTB will become a province with 'zero blindness.' We must ensure that no one suffers from blindness," he said.

The commitment to inclusive services is further expanded through a plan to provide shuttle vehicles for all special-needs schools (SLB) in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), starting in January 2027. These vehicles are intended to assist students who face difficulties with transportation to school.

The electric vehicles are also designed to function as ambulances, should the need arise within the school environment or the surrounding community.

Cahya Dessy Rahmawati, President Director of the NTB Eye Hospital, stated that the launch of the Bright Program is to broaden the reach of eye care services to all segments of society, from infants and children to the elderly and individuals with disabilities.

"We want this eye hospital to be a place for all ages and all walks of life. We also aim to ensure that eye care services become increasingly accessible to the public, including those in remote and isolated areas," she explained.

Through the Bright Program, the NTB Eye Hospital conducts mobile eye health screenings in inland regions and provides free patient shuttle services, with the initial phase focused on the island of Lombok.

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Translator: Nur Imansyah, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Primayanti
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