Hanoi (VNA) – A conference discussing the building of applications to give thedisabled community better access to social services was held in Hanoi on April17 on the occasion of Vietnam’s Day for Peoplewith Disabilities (April 18).

Jointly organised by the Vietnam Federation on Disability and the Hanoi Disabled People’s Association, the event saw the participation of over 200 delegates fromministries and sectors as well as representatives from the UN DevelopmentProgramme (UNDP) in Vietnam, domestic and foreign non-governmentalorganisations, and those working in disability support groups.

During the event, participants focused on discussing how to helppeople with disabilities gain better access to transport services,infrastructure facilities, and information and technology.

The organisers also launched a campaign and contest themed “Go with D.Map”,which aims to spread the message of "Don't leave anyone behind".

D.Map is an application for smart phones built based on iOS and Androidplatforms, with a web version as well, which looks to be a useful informationchannel for people with disabilities.

Through this application, disabled people can search for information related toinfrastructure facilities such as parks, offices, and restaurants that havebetter accessibility and inclusive features. The information is especiallyimportant for disabled and elderly communities looking to travel to new places.

According to permanent vice chairman of the Vietnam Federation on DisabilityDang Van Thanh, Vietnam has about 8 million people with disabilities,accounting for 7.8 percent of the total population, with 82 percent of themliving in rural areas.

In recent years, the Party and State have paid due attention to taking care ofdisabled people through many policies and regulations to ensure safety and providemuch needed access for them to use public transport services. –VNA