Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Disability Care and Persons with Disability in Pakistan
Farooq Azam Rathore, Ahmad Zaheer Qureshi · Journal of College of Physicians And Surgeons Pakistan · 2021
December 2021 marks the second anniversary of the detection of the COVID-19 virus from Wuhan, China, which resulted in a global healthcare crisis, leading to a pandemic.It impacted mobility, halted economic activities, led to prolonged closure of educational institutes, religious places, repeated lockdowns and a huge burden of morbidity and mortality.However, people are trying to gradually adapt to the post-COVID-19 world and moving on with their daily chores.The impact of COVID on healthcare systems, economies and individual patients has been well documented in the literature, and continues to expand.This includes documentation of the impact of COVID-19 on persons with disability (PWD).But, almost all the published literature is from the West and the high-income countries with few publications from the low and low-middle income country(ies) (LIC/LMIC).The adverse effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the PWD in Pakistan; a LMIC, also need to be highlighted, and suggest recommendations to address this gap in healthcare delivery.According to the United Nations, "Persons with disabilities in the world are among the hardest hit by COVID-19." 1 Many reasons have been identified for the increased risk of PWD contracting COVID-19.It is difficult for PWD to follow the guidelines issued for checking the spread of the virus like washing hands or social distancing.Many PWD in the remote areas do not have ready access to water and sanitation; and social distances might not be even possible, especially when they are dependent upon others for their mobility and transfer needs.PWD are at a higher risk of developing obesity, lung and cardiac problems, due to the nature of their disability and reduced mobility.When these PWD with comorbidities contract COVID-19, their risk of severe infection and subsequent mortality increases.PWD in LMIC, like Pakistan, faced discrimination in accessing healthcare services even before the COVID-19 pandemic.For example, during the earthquake of 2005 and subsequent relief activities, able bodied persons were able to access and carry the medications and relief items, while the PWD were unable to move and thus were deprived.