NEW DELHI: About 73 per cent of persons with disabilities (PwD) interviewed were found to be facing severe challenges like lack of access to ration and healthcare in view of the coronavirus-induced lockdown, according to a survey.
The survey of 1,067 PwDs was conducted by Delhi-based NGO National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP). Based on the findings of the survey, a report — “Locked Down and Left Behind – A Report on the Status of Persons with Disabilities in India during the COVID-19 Crisis” — was drafted.
The data from the NCPEDP’S survey showed that of all PwDs interviewed, 73 per cent faced particular challenges on account of the lockdown.
“Out of those facing particular challenges, 57 per cent said they were facing a financial crisis, 13 per cent spoke of challenges in accessing rations, while 9 per cent were facing obstacles in access to healthcare and medical aid,” the report said.
It stated that these and other similar issues could have been taken care of if the ‘Comprehensive Disability Inclusive Guidelines’ issued by the Centre’s Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) had been uniformly enforced across India.
The DEPwD guidelines provide for such critical requirements as ensuring that “persons with disabilities are 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”.
They also state that caregivers should be allowed to reach PwDs by exempting them from restrictions during lockdown or providing passes in a simplified manner on priority.
The report recommended that continuation of support services for PwDs with minimum human contact should also be ensured. (AGENCIES)
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