Page 122 - The Indian Optician Digital Edition March-April 2021

„ Make sure those in their household, 3. Ensure public health information and
including the friends and family that the VI
trusts, know of any important information
they would need should when VI becomes
unwell. This may include information about
the VI’s health insurance, medication, and
the care needs of any of their dependents
(children, elderly parents).
„ Make sure everybody in their household
knows what they should do when the VI
contracts COVID-19 or requires assistance.
„ If they are not already connected, introduce
people in their support network so that they
can communicate effectively when the VI
becomes unwell.
„ The VI should know the telephone number
of relevant telehealth services and hotlines,
when they have questions or require non-
urgent medical assistance.
Actions for Governments: Section 8 of the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016
guarantees equal protection and safety for
persons with disabilities in these situations.
It also mandates Disaster Management
Authorities at District/State/National levels
to take measures to include persons with
disabilities in disaster management activities
and to keep them duly informed about these.
These authorities are mandatorily required to
involve the concerned State Commissioner
for Persons with Disabilities during disaster
management. All information about COVID 19,
services offered and precautions to be taken
should be available in simple and local language
in accessible formats, i.e. in Braille and audible
tapes for persons with visual impairment, video-
graphic material with sub-titles. A 24X7 Helpline
Number at the State Level should be set up
exclusively for the Divyangjan with facilities of
sign language interpretation and video calling.
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY
MAY BE AT GREATER RISK
OF CONTRACTING COVID-19
BECAUSE OF BARRIERS TO
ACCESSING HEALTH CARE AND
PUBLIC HEALTH INFORMATION
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Mar-Apr 2021 SK.indd 66
communication is accessible:
„ Include captioning and, where possible,
sign language for all live and recorded
events and communications. This includes
national addresses, press briefings, and live
social media.
„ Convert public materials into “Easy Read”
format so that they are accessible for
people with intellectual disability or
cognitive impairment.
„ Develop accessible written information
products by using appropriate document
formats with structured headings, large print,
braille versions and formats for people who
are deaf blind.
„ Include captions for images used within
documents or on social media. Use
images that are inclusive and do not
stigmatise disability.
„ Work with disability organisations,
including advocacy bodies and disability
service providers to disseminate public
health information.
4. Undertake targeted measures for people
with disability and their support networks:
„ A financial compensation for families
and caregivers who need to take time off
work to care for loved ones should be given.
This could include paying, for a limited time
period, family members for support provided
during normal working hours.
„ A financial compensation for the families
and caregivers who are part of the casual and
self-employed disability workforce, who may
need to self-isolate, and where coming to
work place people with disability at greater
risk of infection.
„ An adoption of flexible, work-from-home
policies, along with financial compensation
for the technology required to do so.
„ A financial measures that include people
with disability, such as lump sum payments
for qualifying individuals, tax relief,
subsidisation of items and/or leniency and
allowable deferral of common expenses.
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