Over one billion people across the world are crippled with a certain kind of disability that keeps them from functioning, often requiring healthcare services. The World Health Organisation (WHO) observes an increase in the number of people with disabilities particularly due to chronic health conditions and population ageing. People with disabilities have been disproportionately affected during the COVID-19 pandemic, not only due to lack of access to healthcare services but due to further sidelining experienced from a societal point of view. 

In his message in view of the International Day of the Persons with Disabilities that falls today (December 3), the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres called upon everybody, including persons with disabilities to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. “COVID-19 has laid bare the persistent barriers and inequalities faced by the world’s one billion persons with disabilities who have been among the hardest hit by the pandemic. A disability-inclusive pandemic response and recovery should be guided by persons with disabilities themselves, forge partnerships, tackle injustice and discrimination, expand access to technology and strengthen institutions to create a more inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 world.”

Furthermore, disability rights groups are calling on governments to include people with disabilities in their priority lists with regards to vaccinations and even in re-employment schemes. “Even though some of them are deaf, they have various other skills, but unfortunately they are not given due prominence,” opined Rasanjali Pathirage of the Disability Organisation Joint Front. “Many of them are more vulnerable to be victims of gender-based violence and incidents of sexual abuse,” she added.

People with disabilities have been disproportionately affected during the Covid-19 pandamic, not only due to lack of access to healthcare services but due to further sidelining

WHO statistics indicate that heart disease, diabetes, stroke, lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were collectively responsible for nearly 100 million additional healthy life-years lost in 2019 compared to 2000. Injuries are another major cause of disability and death.