Part III – Rights of Persons with Disabilities

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Part III provides for rights of persons with disabilities and places obligations on Government and other stakeholders to ensure that those rights are enjoyed by persons with disabilities.  The rights, among others, include health, accessibility to the physical environment, transport, information, education, housing and employment.

Article 23 specifically focuses on prevention, early identification and intervention. The Sub-section (1) of the Article reads:  Government shall provide appropriate health services including prevention, early identification and intervention and services designed to minimise and prevent further disabilities.

Sub-section (2) reads as follows: The Government, in liaison with local assemblies and with the responsible Ministry, with a view to preventing the occurrence of disabilities, shall (a) undertake or cause to be undertaken surveys, investigations and research concerning the cause and occurrence of disabilities; (b) create awareness amongst the masses through existing media on the occurrence of disabilities and preventive measures to be adopted.

Article 24 stipulates that in liaison with the Ministry responsible for persons with disabilities and the Agency, the Ministry of Health shall (a) provide persons with disabilities with the same range, quality and standard of free or affordable health care and programmes as provided to other persons, including in the area of sexual and reproductive health and population based public health programmes; (b) formulate and implement a programme to enable marginalized persons with disabilities to avail free  medical rehabilitation  services in central government hospitals and, where there is need for a referral to private hospitals mechanisms shall be put in place for persons with disabilities to access the essential services; (c) provide medical personnel specializing in the treatment and rehabilitation of persons  with disabilities to district hospitals and health centres. It shall also train its field personnel in the provision of medical care and attention to persons with disabilities; and (d) promote access to health care for persons with disabilities and adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to their health development, which shall make essential health services available to them at affordable cost.

Article 24(2) specifically focuses on the need for necessary social auxiliary services that will enhance full and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in their day-to-day life. The Article stipulates: In liaison with the Ministry responsible for persons with disabilities and the Agency, the Ministry of Health shall ensure that persons with disabilities are provided with the necessary social auxiliary services that will restore their social functioning and participation in community activities. Towards this end, programmes on auxiliary social services that respond to the needs of persons with disabilities shall be developed and implemented. The components of such programmes shall include (a) assistance in the acquisition of prosthetic devices and medical intervention or specialty services; (b) development of appropriate rehabilitation technology for the manufacture of wheelchairs, tricycles and other assistive devices locally; (c) move to accessibility; (d) develop national guidelines, minimum norms and standards for the provision of assistive devices.

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