Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) have raised an eyebrow over what it described as total exclusion of issues pertaining to them from the Control of Infectious Diseases Bill currently before the National Assembly.
Speaking on behalf of the disability community at a Citizens Town Hall Meeting put together by YIAGA Africa in partnership with Channels Television to debate on the bill, foremost Disability Rights Advocate, Lois Auta said it was sad that though PWDs are more prone and vulnerable to infectious diseases, issues affecting them were not addressed in the bill.
Auta said, “With over 20million persons with disabilities in Nigeria, it’s so sad that our issues were not included in the bill. Inaccessibility to healthcare facilities, no ramps at the hospitals, no sign language interpreters, persons with hearing impairment find it very difficult to communicate with medical doctors. No privacy, no confidentiality between patients and medical doctors and now we are talking about a bill that we are strategically excluded. It’s so sad.”
On which areas, PWDs will like to see included in the bill, she said, “Accessibility to healthcare services, information, communication and technology. PWDs can be attended to via teleconferencing from their homes and do you know that most of us depend on people to perform our daily tasks, moving around from point A to Point B, eating, bathing, doing other things. How about our care givers, our family members”?.
She said it was important that sponsors of the bill go back to the drawing and do something urgently to cater for the welfare of millions of citizens in Nigeria with special needs.
Earlier, sponsor of the bill in the Senate, Senator Chukwuka Utazi said the National Assembly had not said that Bill is sacrosanct, adding that from the first to the third reading, it is still open to public scrutiny.
He, however, insisted that the bill had become germane in the wake of the gaps in the health sector that the Covid-19 pandemic has revealed, adding that Nigeria cannot continue to depend on executive orders.
“There was no going back on the Infectious Diseases Bill because there is no better time for any law to come into force.
“This is a democracy. We are not in a military regime where the executive makes the law for the people. We have consulted, what we want is to get everyone on board. Anyone who wants to make an input into the bill come over and air your opinion. The stakeholders that should be involved are already involved. We have not said that the Bill is sacrosanct, it’s still open. From the first to the third reading, it is still open to public scrutiny,” the Senator said.
Earlier, Executive Director, YIAGA Africa, Samson Itodo, said the Town Hall Meeting was to give citizens the opportunity to have their voice heard about the bills under consideration.
“Democracy is about participation, when laws are made in the legislation, the lawmakers must consult with their representatives. Legislators are employers of the people and must listen to them,” he said.
Among panelists who made contributions include, Retired Doctor, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Abanida Emmanuel; legal practitioner, Ayo Obe; Country Director, Amnesty International, Osai Ojigho; Professor of Medical Law, University of Abuja, Prof. Unakwe Abugu; Executive Director, Centre for Liberty, Ariyo Dare; Executive Director, Girl Child Africa, Bukky Shonibare, Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria, Aanu Rotimu, among others.