Give free Covid-19 vaccine to Persons with disabilities (Pwds)

Abled voices, a community based organization for persons living with disabilities, recently pointed out to possible discrimination of PWDs with regards to accessing the covid -19 vaccine.

Speaking to Nyanza daily, Mr. Stafford Ochien’g, founder Abled voices, lamented the sheer reluctance by government, to effectively cushion persons living with disability post the covid outbreak .

Emphasizing that PWDs, are in fact more vulnerable owing to the myriad challenges that arise from their various limitations.

According to the data presented by abled voices, approximately 67% of persons living with disability wallow in poverty. Numbers that since soared by the introduction of retaliative measures that amounted to curfews and lockdowns.

The implications of covid 19 to PWDs has been pathetic, with the restrictive measures subjecting them to lack of family support and to the attention of friends, thus leaving them to greater risks of not accessing food or proper sanitation.

Abled voices equally urged the Ministry Of Health to put in place reporting mechanisms that would effectively relay communications including emergency guidelines for PWDs.

Further seeking that the government exempt those who support PWDs on a daily basis from physical restrictions, classifying them among essential service providers.

However, the most vital plea was for the state to ensure that PWDs are not discriminated against. Precisely on the basis of accessing healthcare or towards being vaccinated against Covid 19.

Calls that we’re later echoed by the National council for PWDs, a government parastatal through their digital platforms.
“This would be the best time for actions to speak louder than words, and the action would call for the government to invest on social protection scheme’s for PWDs” Said Mr.Steven Mwaniki, the chairman NG-CDF Embakasi and the spokesperson of abled voices.

Hitherto, PWDs are vulnerable to poverty, illness and bad health. Hence a nation of persons living with disablity is what abled voices speaks for. The call for vaccination being akin a call for water in a desert.