Health activists have embraced the need to bridge the gaps in the delivery of services in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) citing the government should intervene with an immediate approach to cater for the violation of rights of all individuals especially living with disabilities.
Led by the Buddu County chief (Pookino) Jude Muleke; health activists made an alarm while launching a campaign by the Association of Disabled Persons Living with HIV/AIDS (ADIPHA) Uganda aimed at increasing access to comprehensive SRHR services for people with disabilities living with HIV and TB survivors.
Muleke says that all people whether PWDS or not need to make decisions about their sexual reproductive health rights without discrimination and coercion and without being stigmatized asking the government to come up with inclusive measures that will ensure that all citizens can access all health care services in its facilities.
He explains that there is a need for the government to invest in sign language interpreters and facilities like toilets lamps and beds in the public health units, which can easily access health services without segregation.
‘ Persistent discrimination against women and girls living with disabilities and unwillingness to openly and compressively address their issues related to sexual reproductive health is affecting the delivery of health services this should be addressed by giving them the right information and support so that they can also make their individual informed decisions but not making choices for them like in access to birth control measures among other issues’ he added.
Patricia Alena Namiwanda, Sexual Reproductive Health Officer at ADFA Uganda, said that the program is aimed at building the confidence of PWDS and survivors of TB to stand against stigmatization to access SRHR services.
She says that PWDS living with HIV/AIDS and people affected with TB are stuck with the challenge of accessing SRHR care calling up the public and civil society organizations to help them champion changing people’s attitudes towards their SRHR without feeling stigmatized.
“There is an urgent need to ensure access to healthcare services and information for all including people with disabilities, and change of attitudes beliefs, and behaviors within communities about SRHR of people with disabilities and advocating for policies that respect and protect SRHR for people with disabilities is the way to go to address the misconceptions in communities about people with disabilities making informed choices about sexual reproductive health” she added.
Namiwanda said that they expect to see that after two year the project is going to be implemented and that there will be no discrimination in the provision of SRHR and other health services on top of advocates for the rights of persons living with a disability.
“We have existing Peer Support Groups among people living with HIV/AIDS and TB survivors and these are going to be strengthened, and the PWDs are also going to be given the confidence to engage with police makers to implement inclusive SRHR services and make informed decisions,” she added.
Richard Musisi the executive director of ADIPHA Uganda says that they have developed strategic partnerships with 15 mainstream civil society organizations that are going to help them promote and champion inclusive accessibility of SRHR services in five districts in Masaka region hosting persons with disabilities living with HIV/AIDS and affected by TB.
He says that under this program they will also be supporting PWDS abused sexually, those denied access to SRHR Services, and gender-based violence victims undergoing rehabilitation, ensuring that all PWDs can access SRHR services freely.
“20 people are going to be selected to undergo mentorship and coaching and these are going to be champions, this will develop their confidence and skills and will be champions of service delivery of disability-inclusive HIV/TB services and will help the person living with disability engage with decision makers and implementing partners understand the PWDs rights to access SRHR services’ he added.
Margret Nakabiri Marie Stopes advised health workers to try to give services to persons living with disabilities amidst the challenges they face like lack of proper beds that they can use when they come to health units.
‘All people have to access medical services with dignity and equity; this will make you an extraordinary service provider, you can support a person living with disability using the beds you have at your facility as you wait for the procurement of beds that they can use, even talking to them about the available options of contraceptive measures instead of a health worker just deciding for them a measure to use can also make a difference in the issuance of SRHR services which are inclusive’ she added.
Costansio Nakityo Rachael Lwengo Assistant DHO pledged that they are tasked to put up special clinics in the facilities in the district to give priority to persons with disability so that they can access medical services without hustle.
She said that public health facilities are stuck with the challenge of a lack of health workers who understand sign language which she says sometimes hampers the delivery of health services to patients that understand sign language saying that they need to have health facilities support to get sign language interpreters
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