The National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU) has expressed concerns regarding the recently published National Population and Housing Census data, which indicated a disability prevalence of only 5.7%.
Speaking to the media in Kampala, NUDIPU Chief Executive Officer Esther Kyozira labeled the figure as "frivolous, erroneous, and obnoxious."
The census, conducted by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) and released on October 3, was intended to address the long-standing demand for accurate disaggregated data on persons with disabilities in the country.
The report announced a total population of 45,935,046, with a gender breakdown of 22,495,030 males and 23,440,016 females.
However, the reported disability prevalence has sparked outrage among disability advocacy groups, who argue that it significantly under represents the true number of people living with disabilities.
Kyozira highlighted that the previous census in 2014 reported a disability prevalence of 12.4%, while the Uganda Functional Difficulties Survey in 2017 found it to be 16.5%.
She expressed disbelief that, given the increasing rates of road accidents and mental health issues, the current report could suggest such a drastic decrease in disability rates over the past decade.
"Any right-thinking Ugandan would expect that the total population of persons with disabilities is above 12.4% and not reduced to 5.7%," Kyozira stated.
She called for an explanation from UBOS regarding the significant drop in figures.
NUDIPU pointed out that the 2024 census included additional categories of disabilities, such as albinism and epilepsy, which should have contributed to a higher prevalence rate rather than a reduction.
Kyozira also criticised the report for lacking district-level data on disability prevalence, which is crucial for effective resource mobilisation and local interventions aimed at enhancing disability inclusion and rehabilitation efforts.
In response to these concerns, NUDIPU has called for a thorough analysis of the reported statistics to provide a clearer national picture of disability prevalence, which is essential for inclusive planning and budgeting.
"UBOS should analyse and provide disability prevalence statistics broken down by district to inform targeted programming and resource allocation,"she said.
Kyozira urged UBOS to announce a timeline for the review and re-analysis of disability data. Additionally, NUDIPU insists on the need for a follow-up survey to accurately assess the current state of disabilities in Uganda.
The organisation proposes that UBOS establish a platform for disability experts to review and analyze studies before they are conducted to minimize the risk of exclusion
The union calls for UBOS to employ both international and national standards when measuring disability prevalence to ensure high-quality data collection.