Down  Syndrome is a genetic condition and the commonest forms of learning disability but has been relegated to the background. Available statistics shows that one out of every 1000 live births will have down syndrome.

Flagging-off the walk  former Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Leke Pitan who advocated for  special provisions particularly for Nigerians with special needs said, “More still need to be done for these people in the society. It is time we began to appreciate the fact that there is ability in disability. Those with Down Syndrome are also Nigerians, there is need to specially attend to their needs.”

According to him, “The greatness of a nation is not measured in terms of just sky scrapers but in terms of the facilities, infrastructures and provisions made for the vulnerable in the society. It is how comprehensive and effective such provisions are that   mark out the nation as a great nation.

“We must as a nation re-orientate ourselves. For instance, in the electronic media whenever the news is going on, there must be somebody who should also be relaying the news to the challenged. Again, in building, there should be provisions for the disabled.

There must be signs at various car parks for this group of people. Government should put in more money to make these people comfortable. Unfor-tunately, government has relegated them to the background.”

Also speaking, President of Down Syndrome Association, Mrs Rose Mordi, said children with Down Syndrome could live fulfilled lives and make contributions to the society if developed.”

Mordi said the public awareness walk is to enlighten the public because there is high level of ignorance and superstition about Down Syndrome even among the educated.

“It is also targeted to create awareness about who we are, the work we do and who these children with the condition are, and also to partner with Nigerians. A lot of these children have been neglected and marginalised for a long time.”

On the choice of the slogan, Down But Not Out. “Psycho-logically, these particular people have been down for so long. They have been locked away but inspite of these, they are still trying to take up their position in the society. We are telling the world that though they might be down but they are not out.”

She expressed hope that at the end of the walk Nigerians would feel free to associate as well as partner with DSAN to support these children. “We are also hoping that Nigerians through this awareness walk would understand the condition and stop stigmatizing people with Down Syndrome.”

On  problems facing the association, she appealed that  “We need a big structure to run both the literacy early intervention services, a clinic  that would enable  us to carry an early  medical test that the children need. A lot  of children die young  not because  of their condition  but because of the medical  ailment  that this condition make them predisposed to.”

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