Pacific Disability Forum

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and its disproportionate impact on persons with disabilities, the Pacific Disability Forum (PDF) is urging authorities and partners to ensure inclusion of persons with disabilities, their families, carers and support persons in the COVID-19 response and recovery work to follow. Therefore, realising. Realising the pre-condition to inclusion of persons with disabilities is required to guarantee that they are not left behind in the COVID-19 response. The pre-condition to inclusion can be referred to as the pre-requisite for disability inclusion. If the pre-conditions are not realized, it will seriously undermine the inclusion of all persons with disabilities across the COVID-19 response and recovery actions.

The pre-existing and intersecting inequalities and power imbalance can exacerbate in a crisis situation. In the context of COVID-19 pandemic and TC Harold emergencies, response agencies need to ensure protection to improve safety, well-being and dignity for affected populations. It is also crucial to recognize the capacity of affected population in understanding the information and carrying out their role to respond to and effectively participate through the various measures in place to combat the outbreak and stay safe. 

The pre-existing and intersecting inequalities and power imbalance can exacerbate in a crisis situation. In the context of COVID-19 pandemic, response agencies need to ensure protection to improve safety, well-being and dignity for affected populations. It is also crucial to recognize the capacity of affected population in understanding the information and carrying out their role to respond to and effectively participate through the various measures in place to combat the outbreak.

If you are providing care to persons with disabilities, with high support needs and are showing respiratory symptoms such as fever cough or running nose, wear your mask before putting their mask on.

The outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) and the virus is now a global pandemic, spreading to many countries and territories. While a lot is still unknown about the virus that causes COVID-19, we do know that it is transmitted through direct contact with respiratory droplets of an infected person (generated through coughing and sneezing). Individuals can also be infected from touching surfaces contaminated with the virus and touching their face (e.g., eyes, nose, mouth). While COVID-19 continues to spread, it is important that communities take action to prevent further transmission, reduce the impacts of the outbreak and support control measures.[1]

Ensuring that persons with disabilities are protected and respond effectively to a COVID-19 outbreak, it is critical that their exposure and vulnerability to the spread of the disease are recognised and necessary measures are in place to ensure their inclusion, effective participation, protection and safety is addressed in the health response. We urge all levels of government, agencies and the private sector to work with disabled peoples’ organisations to make sure that persons with disabilities in particular women, children and young persons with disabilities aren’t left behind in the COVID-19 response.

Persons with disabilities and their families will be exposed to the COVID-19 outbreak. In the likely event of this, they face barriers in accessing information due to the lack of availability and accessibility of critical information to guide them in taking necessary precautions, identify where to go to seek help and who to contact in cases of emergencies. Lack of access to education for most persons with disabilities further contributes to their vulnerability to the outbreak as they would lack the understanding of technical medical terms used in public advisories, further contributing to their inability to respond to the outbreak and take necessary actions. Most persons with disabilities are unemployed, poor and live in overpopulated areas with poor living conditions. This exacerbates their exposure to the outbreak and limits their ability to put in place measures to respond to the outbreak, hence raises the risk of their vulnerability.

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The points below show some ways that Ministry of Health, WHO, Media and other COVID-19 messaging and advisories stakeholders can ensure that persons with disabilities are not left behind: