Our Bureau
AGARTALA / KOHIMA, March 29, 2020: While COVID-19 is impacting the entire population, it’s important to understand that persons with disabilities are more vulnerable to the disease due to their physical, sensory and cognitive limitations. Besides this, it may also be noted that people with disabilities and families with disabled members may face greater difficulties during this lockdown period.
As such, there is a need to understand their disability specific requirements, daily living activities and take appropriate and timely measures to ensure their protection and safety.
The guidelines as well as advisories issued by the State Government and specific departments like the Health and Family Welfare are applicable to all citizens. However, as per Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, MoSJE, guidelines (DO No Secy/1/2020) dated March 26 2020, the following measures need to be acted upon by District Administrations to give focused attention to protection and safety of persons with disabilities during this COVID 19 situation.
· All persons responsible for handling emergency response services should be trained on the rights of persons with disabilities, and on risks associated with additional problems for persons having specific impairments.
· Relevant information on support to persons with disabilities should be a part of all awareness campaigns.
· Some persons with disabilities may be using services of caregivers from outside the home. In such cases, caregivers should be allowed to reach the persons with disabilities by exempting them from restrictions during lockdown or providing passes in a simplified manner on priority.
· To ensure continuation of support services for persons with disabilities with minimum human contact, Personal Protective Equipments (PPE) must be ensured for caregivers.
· Persons with disabilities must be ensured 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.
· The district authorities may consider reserving specific opening hours in provision stores for persons with disabilities and older persons to facilitate easy access of their daily requirements.