Stakeholders canvass inclusion of PWDs in decision making

Stakeholders have canvassed the inclusion of increased involvement of people living with disabilities in decisions that border on various issues, including climate change and health.

Grand Patron, Association of People Living with Disabilities, Oyo State chapter, Professor SabitOlagoke, who spoke at a symposium said the impact of climate change is obvious globally due to industrialization and urbanization.

The symposium on ‘Climate Change Health and Disability’ was organized by the Rebuilding Hopes on Wheels Initiative in conjunction with Sustain Our Abilities at the College of Medicine, University College Hospital Ibadan.

Professor Olagoke said people living with disabilities are disproportionately burdened by the effects of climate change and often are left out of plans meant to protect the rights of people to clean and healthy environment like their counterparts without disability.

Chairman, Nigeria Medical Association, Ogun State branch, Dr Kunle Ashimi, in his presentation entitled ‘Climate Change and Infectious Diseases’, said the effects of climate change on people with disabilities were further worsened by their poor access to quality health care, poverty and difficulties to move from one place to another during environmental disasters.

Dr Ashimi said it was important that people in the community always assist people with disabilities rather than take advantage of them even as the government empowers individuals with disabilities to become agents of change.

He noted that people with disabilities should not be marginalized but rather be involved in decision making over climate change as well as other matters that affect their wellbeing.

Earlier, the Head of Department of Physiotherapy, College of Medicine UCH, Associate Professor Adesola Odole, said the symposium would help to shed light on the critical intersection of climate change, health and disabilities with a focus on impact of climate change in Nigeria.

Dr Odole said the rising temperature, extreme weather conditions and environmental degradation had had severe consequences on health and wellbeing particularly of individuals with disabilities, making it imperative to understand and address the unique challenges they face.

She urged governments to reduce the cost of health care to facilitate their access good health care.

National president, Joint National Association of Person with Disabilities, Aliyu Abdullahi, appealed to the incoming government to include people with disabilities in governance.

Chief Executive Officer of RHOWI, Hajiya Amina, in her presentation said the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals design also expects that people with disabilities be given equal rights in the society, adding, “if there was any decision that had to do with disasters, non-involvement of people with disabilities would amount to discrimination, and is condemnable.”