Health Care for people with disability

3. Health Care for people with disability

3.1 Introduction

  Disabilities is an umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. An impairment is a problem in body function or structure; an activity limitation is a difficulty encountered by an individual in executing a task or action; while a participation restriction is a problem experienced by an individual in involvement in life situations. Thus, disability is a complex phenomenon, reflecting an interaction between features of a person’s body and features of the society in which he or she lives.

  There are over 1 billion people with disabilities (PWD) in the world. This corresponds to about

  15 of the world’s population. People with disabilities have generally poorer health, lower education achievements, fewer economic opportunities and higher rates of poverty than people without disabilities. This is largely due to the lack of services available to them and the many obstacles they face in their everyday lives. Disability is more common among women, older people and children and adults who are poor. PWDs face widespread barriers in accessing services in health care (including rehabilitation), education, transport and employment.

3.2 Situational Analysis

  Based on a survey in 2006, it was estimated that 1.5 of the population of Timor-Leste has disability in some form or the other. The most common cause of disability was visual impairment followed by mobility impairment, speech and hearing impairment and least of all intellectual impairment. Timor-Leste already has a NATIONAL POLICY FOR INCLUSION AND PROMOTION OF the RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. The Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste consecrates the disabled citizen enjoys the same rights and be subject to the duties of other citizens, as well as that no citizen can be discriminated against on the basis of their physical or mental condition, as provided for in paragraph 1 of Article 21 and paragraph 2 of Article 16 (2). The Ministry of Social Solidarity provides food and financial support through the allowance of the elderly and invalids approved by Decree entered by-law. 192008 Of 19 June and the pilot project Scholarship of the Mother to people with disabilities and their families, the well the to non-profit institutions that develop work in the area of disability.

3.3 Aims and Objectives

  The aim of the national strategy for prevention and control of disability is to enable persons with disability to live to the extent possible an independent and healthy life with dignity.

  The specific objectives of this strategy, which is restricted to health sector are:

  1. Strengthening health system including capacity building: Healthcare providers have the knowledge and tools to screen, diagnose, and treat the person with a disability with dignity;

  2. Health Promotion: Persons with disability can promote their own good health by developing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle; and

  3. Increased Access: Accessible healthcare and support services promote independence for persons with disability.

  4. Surveillance and Research to support evidence based policy making.

3.4 Strategies

  Health System Strengthening

  Capacity Building

  • Promote the availability in the health services of health professionals with specialized

  training, including physical therapists, orthopedists, speech therapists and nurses and clinical psychologists.

  • Ensure that the technical assistance provided to persons with disabilities is in accordance

  with the standards set internationally. • Increase the capacity and diversify the response of physical and mental rehabilitation

  centers to respond to the needs of people with disabilities.

  Prevention, early Detection and treatment

  • Create specific measures like screening programs with a view to ensure the early

  identification of disability, diagnosis, treatment and medical rehabilitation, especially among children and elderly.

  • Ensure the issuance of medical declarations certifying the temporary or permanent nature

  of incapacitation of person with disabilities. • Provide services for reduction of risk factors contributing to disabilities during pregnancy

  and childhood and injury prevention.

  Health Promotion

  • Disclose information about the ways of prevention, health care and special needs of people

  with disabilities, in establishments of health and education, Community centers and other public spaces relevant, through the use of various communication channels.

  • Increase awareness of all stakeholders including community on the importance of the issue

  of disability and to coordinate efforts of all sectors of society to participate in disability prevention activities;

  • Conduct media campaign to promote and protect the rights and dignity of persons with

  disabilities and ensure their full inclusion in society, • Promote and strengthen community-based rehabilitation programmes linked to primary

  health care and integrated in the health system;

  Increased Access

  • Ensure that people with disabilities can take advantage of services provided by health

  professionals, technical aids, medication and specialized treatment, in an equitable manner, regardless of the place of residence (rural or urban).

  • Facilitate the movement of people with motor disability to reach health services, in special

  vehicles if so needed. • Ensure provision of adequate and effective medical care to people with special needs and

  to facilitate their access to such care including to prostheses, wheelchairs, driving aids and other devices;

  Surveillance and Research

  • Establish a system for assessment of epidemiological and economic burden of disability

  and identification of its key risk factors and monitor its trend.

  • Conduct scientific and technical studies in the areas of prevention, treatment and

  rehabilitation of people with disabilities.

3.5 Monitoring Indicators

  Impact: Reduction in burden in terms of Disability free life years gained Outcome :

  1. Proportion of individuals with disability who have been provided with assisted devices.

  2. Age-sex specific prevalence of difference disabilities and their degree in specific age group.