Vodafone Fiji Limited handed over PhysioNet United Kingdom (UK) assistive devices worth over $1.2million to the Spinal Injuries Association (SIA) at the Tamavua Rehabilitation Centre yesterday.

Vodafone’s chief financial officer, Divik Deo, said the wheelchairs and various other mobility devices had been possible through a partnership with Vodafone Fiji Foundation’s World of Difference programme with SIA and PhysioNet.

“Our association with SIA goes a long way when we first funded them in 2008,” Mr Deo said.

In 2012, he said, they identified Joshko Wakaniyasi a worthy candidate and SIA a worthy organisation to benefit from financial grants to champion the rights and needs of disabled persons in the country.

“Since 2012, we have distributed over $12m worth of mobility equipment, that is 12 container loads full and 10,000 mobility devices in total across all parts of Fiji.”

Mr Deo said they had also assisted various hospitals and health centres.

“Our association with SIA has assisted many disabled persons in the community.”

He said they did not like to use the word disabled because Mr Wakaniyasi had achieved what an able bodied person could not have done.

“So far over $6.5m worth of wheelchairs has been distributed and another four containers are on their way with specialised medical equipments such as hospital beds, wheelchairs, commodes, gurneys, among other thing,s which will be distributed to various medical centres throughout Fiji.”

The Deputy High Commissioner of the UK to Fiji, Dan Salter, said they were happy to provide for the needs of disabled persons.

“Our efforts are to continuously support organisations that initiate projects and put in every effort to multiply and replicate its effects,” Mr Salter said.

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