Dorothy Nakato Mubezi
The best and most practical steps that low and middle income countries can take to support persons with disabilities to cover the diversity of their disability related costs by 2030.
Example of disability related costs:
Direct costs
Specific disability expenditures
- Assistive Devices and Personal Assistance
- Rehabilitation/Habilitation/Vocational Rehabilitation
- Housing Modifications, Special vehicles
Sign language interpretation, Braille books
Extra expenditures on general items
- Health care
- Extra transportation (e.g. taxis)
Housing premiums (location, accessibility
Indirect costs
Less employment opportunities
Less education opportunities
Lower earnings of
people with disabilities
Loss of earning or education opportunities for family members who are care givers.
Given the fact that many LMICs are unable to allocate adequate resources to social protection for persons with disabilities on account of competing priorities and the scarce resources, it is still challenging for Governments to cover disability related costs. However, they should take the following steps:
- Disability specific support;This gives high level of support to persons with disabilities and it covers a small population which I believe LMICs can manage.
This calls for combined the support to overcome barriers (can decrease with more inclusive environment) as well as support inherent to the personal functional limitation (permanent)
- Assistive devices, rehabilitation (benefit persons with disabilities but also people with injury, older persons …). Is required now and and will always be necessary
- LMICs should provide accessible and inclusive basic services for all: inclusive education, health, justice, infrastructure and information, transports, basic income security …This has a low level of support but covers greater population of persons with disabilities and will ultimately have a big impact but will take a lot of time.
- LMICs should explore both in cash and in-kind support to persons with disabilities to be able to cover the diversity of their disability related costs.