Coronavirus cases: Goa government urged to open COVID-19 centres for differently-abled

Panaji, May 08: The Goa government has been urged to set up special COVID-19 centres in the state for people with disability and their family members. Demand has also been made to prioritise vaccination for persons with disability in the age group of 18 to 45 years and to administer jabs at home for those differently-abled who have no one to take them to health centres.

"We are receiving complaints from persons with disability and their family members that COVID hospitals and care centres are not accessible for persons with disability, the staff is not sensitised to handle persons with disability and the family members are not allowed to stay with the special children," Disability Rights Association of Goa (DRAG) chief Avelino De Sa stated in a letter written to State Commissioner for Persons with Disability.

DRAG is an NGO working for the cause of differently- abled people in the state. "We request you to direct concerned authorities to open special COVID centres (one in each district) of at least 15 beds capacity for persons with disability and their family members," the DRAG said.

These COVID centres should be equipped with oxygen and ventilator facilities, De Sa added. As of May 7, Goa's COVID-19 tally stood at 1,12,462 and the death toll was 1,557, health officials had said.