United Nations, May 6 (IANS): UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday asked for the inclusion of people with disabilities (PwDs) in COVID-19 response."I urge governments to place people with disabilities at the centre of COVID-19 response and recovery efforts and to consult and engage people with disabilities," said Guterres in a video message for the launch of a new policy brief.Even in normal circumstances, people with disabilities are less likely to access education, health care and income opportunities or participate in the community, he said. People with disabilities are more likely to live in poverty, and they experience higher rates of violence, neglect and abuse, he added, noting that the coronavirus pandemic has been intensifying these inequalities and producing new threats, Xinhua news agency reported.People with disabilities are among the hardest-hit by COVID-19, Guterres said, adding that they face a lack of accessible public health information, significant barriers to implementing basic hygiene measures, and inaccessible health facilities.
