Team herald
PANJIM: The Disability Rights Association of Goa (DRAG) has urged the State government to make all primary and urban health centres and COVID testing and vaccination centres accessible for persons with disability with immediate effect.
In letters addressed to the Social Welfare department and the State Commissioner with Persons with Disability, DRAG President Avelino de Sa said that they have been receiving a lot of complaints that the primary and urban health centres and COVID testing and vaccination centres are inaccessible for persons with disability and elderly, especially wheelchair users.
“It is shocking that even after 25 years have passed of the Persons with Disability Act 1995, primary and urban health centres in Goa even in the Panjim capital city are not accessible to persons with disability and the elderly, especially wheelchair users, as a result of many persons with disability and the elderly cannot avail of the free treatment and COVID vaccinations provided at these health centres and are forced to visit private hospitals for treatment and vaccinations. This is in violation of Section 25 of the Rights of Persons with Disability Act 2016,” De Sa stated.
The DRAG president has urged the government to look into the matter urgently and to direct its authorities to make primary and urban health centres and COVID testing and vaccination centres accessible with immediate effect.
