Fighting COVID-19: What Needs To Be Done For People With Disabilities

COVID-19 is a global pandemic. People with disabilities (PwDs) are at risk from COVID-19. And many are less likely to access health services, and more likely to experience greater health needs, worse outcomes and discriminatory laws and stigma.

Here are some of the challenges posed by COVID-19:

1. Chronic Conditions:- Many PwDs do have specific disabilities or chronic conditions that make the illness more dangerous. 
2. Isolation:-  Many PwDs need regular, hands-on help from other people to do every day self-care tasks. Also, laying in supplies of groceries, when shopping of any kind is always extra taxing, requires extra hands for transportation. For some of us, even cleaning our homes and washing our hands frequently can be extra difficult, due to physical impairments, environmental barriers, or interrupted services.
3. Disruption of Services: Many PwDs need regular assistance in terms of personal care, necessary therapy and support to maintain our independence. Outbreaks can disrupt these services. Aides and caregivers may become sick, lockdowns may require them to stay home, or they may be prevented to enter societies/apartments.
4. Workplace Accommodations and Flexibility: Social isolation is supplemented by working from home which leads to work delivery not getting impacted. This is a regular need of many PwDs.

Present Situation 

1. Not much has been done to provide PwDs with guidance and support needed to protect them during pandemic, though many belong to high-risk group.
2. Containment measures, such as social distancing and self-isolation, may be impossible for those who rely on the support of others to eat, dress and bathe. Additional social protection measures needed to guarantee the continuity of support in a safe manner.
3. Access to additional financial aid is vital to reduce the risk of PwDs and their families falling into greater vulnerability or poverty.
4. Many PwDs depend on services that have been suspended; may not have enough money to stockpile food and medicine, or afford the extra cost of home deliveries. 
5. Situation of PwDs in institutions, psychiatric facilities and prisons is particularly grave, given the high risk of contamination and the lack of external oversight, aggravated by the use of emergency powers for health reasons. 
6. PwDs deserve to be reassured that their survival is a priority and government to establish clear protocols for public health emergencies to ensure that, access to healthcare, including life-saving measures, does not discriminate against PwDs.
7. Awareness information about how to prevent and contain the coronavirus is accessible to everyone. 
8. Public advice campaigns and information from national health authorities must be made available in sign language and accessible means, modes and formats, including accessible digital technology, captioning, relay services, text messages, easy-to-read and plain language.

Government of India COVID-19 Guidelines:

Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has issued the guidelines as PwDs are more vulnerable to novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The guidelines stress on the need to understand disability specific requirements, daily living activities and appropriate and timely measures to ensure the protection and safety of PwDs in risk situations. 

Highlights:

1. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) at the district, state and national levels should take measures to include PwDs in disaster management activities and to keep them duly informed. 
2. Authorities are mandatorily required to involve concerned state commissioner for PwDs during disaster management activities. 
3. All information about COVID-19, services offered and precautions to be taken, should be available in simple and local language in accessible formats.
4. Sign language interpreters who work in emergency and health settings should be given the same health and safety protection as other healthcare workers dealing with COVID-19. 
5. People responsible for handling emergency response services should be trained on the rights of PwDs, and on risks associated with additional problems for persons having specific impairments.
6. Relevant information on support to PwDs should be part of all awareness campaigns.
7. During quarantine, essential support services, personal assistance and physical and communication accessibility should be ensured for blind persons and persons with intellectual or mental disability.
8. Caregivers of PwDs should be allowed to reach PwDs by exempting them from restrictions during the lockdown.
9. To ensure continuation of support services for PwDs with minimum human contact.
10. Resident Welfare Associations should be sensitised about needs of PwDs so as to allow entry of maid, caregiver and other support staff to their residences.
11. PwDs should be given access to essential food, water, medicine, and, to the extent possible, such items should be delivered at their residence or place where they have been quarantined

Odisha Update

1. In the wake of coronavirus outbreak, hostels of all 98 special schools and 35 rehabilitation or therapy centres across the State will remain closed from March 25 to June 30. 
2. The 103 special schools in the State will remain shut.The special students were sent home with Rs 500 each as travel allowance. The students are also being paid three months advance of their monthly assistance of Rs 1,200. 
3. Three months advance payment to beneficiaries of Madhu Babu Pension Yojana

(The author is a renowned campaigner for rights of PwDs)