COVID19: MoHR issues guidelines for protection of disabled persons

Islamabad: Encouraging public to provide special care to persons with disability to protect them from COVID-19, the Ministry of Human Rights (MoHR) issued guidelines on Tuesday.

As majority of persons with disability rely on the support of other for their daily chores, special measures are required to protect them from the coronavirus. The guidelines asks the family members to regularly disinfect the supporting stuff used by the persons with disability such as wheel chairs, sticks, white canes etc.

Those who develop symptoms shall not take care of persons with disability and alternative arrangements must be ensured by the family in case care taker of disabled person becomes unavailable or get sick during COVID19.

Besides stressing to provide complete information regarding general precautions for COVID-19 like social distancing, washing hands and staying home to the person with disability, the guidelines highlight the importance of informing the caretakers about the special needs of the persons with disability during this crisis. The family shall also help disabled persons in taking care general health precautions related to COVID19.

The guidelines also urge people to engage persons with disability in constructive activities while staying home and asks family members to encourage persons with special needs, especially children with disability, to use social media for education purposes and to connect to the friends and family.