West Manggarai registers 2,307 people with disabilities

Labuan Bajo — West Manggarai’s Social Affairs Agency recorded 2,307 people with disabilities in the regency as of 5 November 2026, agency chief Marselinus Jebaru said in Labuan Bajo.

Why it matters: Residents with disabilities in West Manggarai may not all receive basic-needs assistance, while 11 wheelchairs, crutches and two walkers have been distributed through the Social Affairs Ministry.

Jebaru said not all had received assistance to meet basic needs, citing limited local government funding as one obstacle to reaching vulnerable residents. The issue has drawn added attention after the earthquake affected West Manggarai.

Disaster food assistance was distributed to affected residents without distinguishing between people with disabilities and others, according to Jebaru. Separate mobility-aid support was channelled through Indonesia’s Social Affairs Ministry and its Efata Centre in Kupang.

The assistance included 11 wheelchairs, crutches and two four-wheeled walkers. Jebaru said recipients were not necessarily people who became disabled because of the earthquake; some had lived with disabilities since birth or developed them through illnesses such as stroke.

He said mobility aids were particularly important after the disaster, helping residents move around and prepare for possible aftershocks. The agency compiled its data from reports by villages, urban wards and subdistricts, as well as requests submitted through WhatsApp.

Earthquake response

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said the earthquake affected seven districts across Flores, including West Manggarai, and identified people with disabilities among groups requiring particular attention.

The federation’s response plan targeted about 20,000 people across the affected districts, including support for basic needs, protection and accessible information. Government reporting also said an aid post in Labuan Bajo was serving West Manggarai and neighbouring regencies.

Sources

• Tribun Flores
• International Federation
• Cabinet Secretariat of the Republic of Indonesia