The Nigerian Government has been urged to improve its COVID-19 response in health, humanitarian, and gender sectors to meet the needs of women with disabilities.
“Disability inclusion were missing in the coronavirus programs and relief programs,” Facilitators at the one-day National Policy Dialogue COVID-19.
Ekatte Judith Umoh of FACICP disability plus and Dr. Adebukola Adebayo of HORDC, Sola Abe of Women deliver who facilitates the event highlighted the exclusion of women with disabilities from COVID-19 programs by the Government.
The online event, convened by BONews service in collaboration with FACICP disability plus, was also attended by representatives of Mrs. Sadiya Umar Faroq, Dame Pauline Tallen.
Delivering his speech, Dr. Adebukola Adebayo, spoke around the humanitarian matters that arose from the lockdown, health, and gender issues.
He noted that persons with disabilities were not included in the various humanitarian programs despite their vulnerability level. Loss of livelihood, exclusion, and children with disabilities not taking part in e-learning programs were problems he also highlighted as being faced by women with disabilities.
“A high percentage of women in Nigeria were vulnerable to illnesses, disability, and even death due to lack of access to comprehensive health services, a situation that has made the country one of the highest in maternal mortality rates amongst developing nations,” said Ekaete Umoh.
“Persons with disabilities are the most vulnerable in the society, we have set up COVID-19 committees which would include women with disabilities to enable us to proffer disability-inclusive solutions,” said Sadiya Umar Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development.
