World Health Day
Efforts are needed to remove barriers so that access to healthcare services is made equitable for people with disabilities
Post by on Tuesday, April 6, 2021
 M AHMAD
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World
Health Day is celebrated annually on 7 April and each year draws attention to a
specific health topic of concern to people all over the world. The theme for
2021 is "Building a fairer, healthier world". Health is important in
itself, because it enables a person to have a good life, and a full life
expectancy.
Persons
with disabilities have the same health needs as every other member of the
population, including immunization, screening, sexual and reproductive health,
and all other aspects of regular healthcare.Â
They may also have additional or more complex health needs, because of
impairment and the consequences of impairment.
People
with disabilities may benefit from specialist services as a result of their
impairment, which includes physical therapy, assistive devices, speech and
language therapy, psychiatry and more.Â
Many of these services are usually known as “rehabilitation.
Persons
with disabilities are faced with a range of barriers when they seek
healthcare.  Strategies are required to
overcome these different barriers in order to achieve Universal Health Coverage
(UHC) and the fulfillment of rights. Other types of barriers may be less well recognized
and understood. For example, for people who are deaf or have other
communication difficulties, may miss out information or on being informed about
their options if there is a lack of sign language or other adapted
communication tools. People with visual
impairment may not be able to read letters from health professionals or
instructions regarding medication.
Efforts
are needed to remove barriers so that access to healthcare services is made
equitable for people with disabilities. By making healthcare services
inclusive, respectful and barrier-free, will improve access for other
vulnerable groups, as well as improve healthcare coverage overall. Improving
healthcare services for persons with disabilities will likely be cost-saving,
reducing future healthcare costs, promoting inclusion and improving economic
productivity for these people. Overall, these changes will help in achievement
of UHC and Sustainable Development Goals, by ensuring that healthcare services
reach the whole population of persons with disabilities, so that they can
experience better health, better productivity, and less poverty.
Above
all, providing better access to inclusive and non-discriminatory healthcare for
people with disabilities will help ensure that their rights are met. Improving
health of people with disabilities will reap benefits in terms of reduced
morbidity and mortality. Better health will also help these people to realize
their other rights, viz right to education, employment, and social inclusion,
and so will improve well-being, social inclusion and reduce poverty.                                                              Â
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                                                                                                                       (Author
is Principal (I/C) Abhedananda Home, Higher Secondary Institution for
Specially-abled Children, Solina, Rambagh, Srinagar. Email: abhome78@gmail.com)