CEO of Artscape, Marlene Le Roux is living with a disability is the supportive and preventative measures that are required for this cohort of people. Most are not in such a privileged position as hers and cannot even afford basic needs while living from hand to mouth, often dependent on others for their care, including social grants. Persons with disabilities generally have more health-care needs than others – both standard needs and needs linked to impairments – and are therefore more vulnerable to the impact of low-quality or inaccessible health-care services than others.
Compared to persons without disabilities, persons with disabilities are more likely to have poor health: among 43 countries, 42% of persons with disabilities versus 6% of persons without disabilities perceive their health as poor, according to the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs Disability.
South Africa is no exception. While having a disability probably does not by itself put someone at higher risk of catching the coronavirus, many persons with disabilities do have specific underlying conditions that make the disease more dangerous for them.
Many are high risk of becoming seriously ill and possibly dying because some of the medications they have to take in order to remain stable, healthy and empowered compromise their immune systems.
Aden chats to Marlene Le Roux on the line…
