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for access to no-cost personal protective
A 24X7 HELPLINE NUMBER equipment, including masks, aprons, gloves
AT THE STATE LEVEL SHOULD and hand sanitizers.
BE SET UP EXCLUSIVELY To ensure that caregivers of people with
FOR THE DIVYANGJAN WITH disability have access to COVID-19 testing
FACILITIES OF SIGN LANGUAGE alongside other identified priority groups.
INTERPRETATION AND VIDEO 6. Actions for healthcare workers to ensure
CALLING COVID-19 health care is accessible, affordable
and inclusive for the disabled people:
An appropriate action by schools and other To work to ensure all clinics providing
educational facilities to ensure continued
testing and services related to COVID-19
education for students with disability who
are completely accessible. Address physical
may be required to study from home for
barriers (such as uneven pathways, stairs,
longer periods.
hard-to-reach spaces or hard-to-use
A provision of a hotline in multiple formats equipment); attitudinal barriers (such as
(e.g. telephone and email) for people social stigma against disability and the
with disability to communicate with the denial of essential services); and financial
government, ask questions and raise the barriers (such as high costs related to
concerns. treatment or accessing the facility).
5. Undertake targeted measures for disability To ensure that information about the
service providers: accessibility of COVID-19 health services is
disseminated to people with disability and
To ensure that agencies providing disability
their caregivers.
caregivers have continuity plans for
situations in which the number of available To deliver information in understandable
caregivers may be reduced. and diverse formats to suit different
needs. Do not rely solely on either verbal
For employees with blindness and other
or written information, and adopt ways to
severe disabilities in both public and private
communicate that are understandable
sector should be exempted from essential
to people with intellectual, cognitive and
services work during the period as they can
psychosocial impairments.
be easily catch infection.
To deliver home-based consultations
To work with disability service providers to
for people with disability, including for
reduce bureaucratic recruitment barriers
their general health needs and, where
while still maintaining protection measures,
appropriate, for COVID-19 related needs.
such as police checks for caregivers.
To develop and disseminate information to
To consider short-term financial support
health workers so that they are aware of the
for disability services to ensure they remain
potential health and social consequences of
financially sustainable if they experience a
COVID-19 for people with disability.
downturn in their operations.
To deliver sufficient support for people
To communicate frequently with people
with disability with more complex needs,
with disability and their support networks.
particularly if quarantined or isolated. When
To provide a hotline for disability services needed, coordinate care between health and
to communicate with government and social services, families, and caregivers.
raise concerns.
To deliver telehealth for people with disability
To prioritise disability caregiver agencies which provide telephone consultation,
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