Berea, May 05 — The Lesotho National Federation of Organizations of the Disabled (LNFOD) has expressed concern over the ongoing Population and Housing Census, stating that the current questionnaires do not adequately capture the needs of persons with disabilities.
Speaking in an interview with the agency, District Coordinator Mrs Motheba Makara Mpota said the census forms should have included clear questions identifying whether a person has a disability and whether they use assistive devices.
She explained that such information would help the government obtain accurate data on the number of persons with disabilities in the country, as well as the types of assistive devices they require, highlighting that this would improve planning and service delivery for disability inclusion.
Mrs Makara further noted that some community members have expressed reluctance to participate in the census, saying they feel excluded by the way some questions are framed.
Despite these concerns, she emphasized the importance of full participation in the census, urging all residents, including persons with disabilities to be counted.
The Population and Housing Census is a nationwide exercise designed to collect demographic, social, and economic data to guide government planning and resource allocation.
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