WHO has launched its Health Equity for Persons with Disabilities: Guide for Action, which aims to support Member States to integrate disability inclusion into health systems governance, planning and monitoring processes. This is in alignment with World Health Assembly Resolution 74.8, on achieving the highest attainable standard of health for persons with disabilities.
An estimated 1.3 billion persons across the world experience significant disability. In Indonesia, between 14 million and 28 million persons live with a disability, and more than half lack access to health services, often due to financial constraints. Globally, persons with disabilities die earlier, have poorer health and functioning, and are more affected by health emergencies than the general population. These differences are largely associated with unjust factors both inside and beyond the health sector.
The WHO disability inclusion Guide for Action is designed to enable ministries of health to lead and implement disability-inclusive policies, with crucial involvement from persons with disabilities and their organizations. It also engages other ministries, such as finance, transportation and education, and organizations involved in providing disability related services.
The Guide for Action supports countries in addressing the 10 strategic entry points for disability inclusion, considering local context and priorities. It aims to help ministries of health and other national stakeholders identify and overcome barriers to access health services, while taking a gender-transformative and intersectional approach. It contains specific guidance to support ministries to prioritize actions and promote disability inclusion at national, local and regional levels.
