As the Covid-19 lockdown continues, please don’t forget about people living with disabilities

It is heartening to see, despite our diversity, South Africans coming together as a nation to fight and hopefully overcome the Covid-19 pandemic — together with the international community. I am confident this focus will assist in preventing and reducing the outbreak of the virus.

A host of measures has been introduced for the vulnerable, destitute and needy throughout South Africa – one of several countries with high levels of socioeconomic inequality, including lack of access to clean water and other basic service deliverables.

Of particular concern to me as a person living with disabilities are the supportive and preventative measures required for my cohort. In his addresses on national television, President Cyril Ramaphosa has not addressed this pertinent issue.

Most people with disabilities are not in as privileged a position as me and can’t even afford basic needs, living from hand to mouth and often dependent on others for their care, including through social grants.

Having contracted poliomyelitis at three months old, I have a weakened leg for which I need a brace. But I was fortunate enough to have been afforded an education to degree level, including an honorary doctorate in education from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.

My late son, Adam George, suffered from birth from cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder which primarily affects body movement and muscle coordination. He required care 24/7, home-managed by two nurses. Living with a disability and caring for one who was part of my own flesh lies at the heart of my empathy for those persons living with disabilities who are far less fortunate than me.

The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs: Disability states that “persons with disabilities generally have more healthcare needs than others – both standard needs and needs linked to impairments – and are therefore more vulnerable to the impact of low quality or inaccessible healthcare services than others. Compared to persons without disabilities, persons with disabilities are more likely to have poor health: among 43 countries, 42% of persons with disabilities versus 6% of persons without disabilities perceive their health as poor.”

South Africa is no exception. While having a disability probably does not in itself put someone at higher risk from coronavirus, many persons with disabilities do have specific underlying conditions that make the disease more dangerous for them.

Many are in the high-risk category of becoming seriously ill and possibly dying as some medications they take in order to remain stable, healthy and empowered unfortunately do lower their immune systems. Thus the disabled are naturally more anxious than many others.

Self-isolation is often not an option for persons living with disabilities as they are reliant on caregivers for everyday self-care tasks and reliant on transport from others too, for example, to go shopping. The cleaning of homes and frequent washing of hands can be extra difficult due to physical impairment.

While I am cognisant and remain grateful for all the interventions on behalf of the most vulnerable in our society to deal with Covid-19, the following basics are required to allow persons living with disabilities to control, contain and overcome this pandemic alongside their fellow South African citizens:

1. Delivery of care packages, including sanitisers, soap, masks and other essentials;


2. A dedicated telephone hotline for a check-in service; and


3. Accessible information.