Caption: Kenneth Suratt
AS the world celebrates World Immunization Day, the Trinidad and Tobago Blind Welfare Association (TTBWA) is urging for improved accessibility and inclusivity in national vaccination and health programmes for blind and visually impaired persons.
In a release on Monday, Executive Officer of the TTBWA Kenneth Suratt said, “Vaccines protect lives, but access to accurate, accessible information is what allows people to make informed choices. If vaccination sites, online platforms, or consent forms are not accessible, then persons with disabilities are effectively denied the right to participate equally.”
Suratt said that according to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), the government is required to ensure persons with disabilities have equal access to healthcare.
Blind and visually impaired citizens faced challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic, including inaccessible digital vaccine cards, non-screen-reader-friendly websites and a lack of Braille or audio information.
TTBWA is calling for the Ministry of Health and regional health authorities to integrate universal design principles for persons with vision impairment, including accessible resources, trained staff and safe physical navigation.
“World Immunization Day reminds us that the right to health belongs to everyone. By making immunization fully accessible, we protect not only individuals but the entire community through inclusion and herd immunity,” Suratt said.
