Concern has been raised over laxity by the government in addressing challenged faced by children with special needs.
A study has found that 94 per cent of people do not think the government is doing enough to look into children suffering from cerebral palsy.
The study conducted in May by Orion Foundation has also found that only 14 per cent of Nairobi residents know what cerebral palsy is.
The foundation is an NGO that disseminates information on prevention and intervention for the neurological condition.
“If you look at blindness, deafness and other conditions that are very common nine out of ten people would know about blindness while only one out in two people would know about cerebral palsy.” Edna Thiong’o from Orion Foundation said.
Thiong'o said there are very few institutions in the country that cater to children with the condition.
She also noted that the institutions that exist are expensive.
“We want the Education Ministry to train more teachers who will attend to those with special needs.” Edna added.
Mary Wairigia, who founded the organisation, said they conducted the study to find out the prevalence of the condition among children or adults who are living with condition.
"As a mother who has a child suffering from cerebral palsy I always ask myself, where do I go, who do I talk because sometimes I get depressed? This is what motivated me to do a survey in Nairobi,” Wairigia said.
Cerebral palsy is a condition marked by impaired muscle coordination (spastic paralysis) and/or other disabilities, typically caused by damage to the brain before or at birth.
The survey also revealed that 32 per cent of marriages where a child suffering from cerebral palsy is born, husbands opt to walk out.
“One of the interviewers told us that her husband left her because their child broke his phones," Thiong'o said.
The organisation has called for the need to create awareness on the condition.
They also asked for mothers who have children suffering from the condition to be counseled, to cope with having to take care of their children's needs.