Disability Rights 6: Prevention of disability

In addition to the human rights laws in the Constitution of Uganda there are several other rights granted to persons with disabilities (PWDs). These rights are given by law in the Persons With Disabilities Act 2006 (PWDA) which is modeled on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Whether you are a PWD or not, these laws apply to you.

Section 9 of the PWDA says that the government will promote the prevention of disability by promoting:

• A healthy environment: For example, a clean water supply and good sanitation.
• Healthy prophylaxis: That is using condoms or abstinence to prevent sexually transmitted infections.
• Healthy working conditions: For example wearing masks in dusty environments or spray painting in a well ventilated area.
• Improvement of medical systems for the detection of disability in children and the elderly: Like providing education to parents and regular check ups and  immunization for children under 2 years. For the elderly, education on the signs of stroke and heart attack.
• Road safety: For instance, wearing crash helmets on bicycles and motorbikes, safety belts in cars and lorries and following road safety rules.
• Land mine clearance: Land mines are still found and are an ever present a danger.
• Enforcement of activities and services that may prevent disability: For instance, a midwifery program for pregnant women and adding folic acid to bread to prevent spina bifida. 

Many disabilities are preventable, if you are a PWD it does not mean that your children need to be disabled.

Uganda Health Sector Development Plan 2015/16-2019/20: The goal of this (5 year) plan is to accelerate movement towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) with essential health and related services needed for promotion of a healthy and productive life.

This law is written in section 9 of the Persons With Disabilities Act 2006 in the following way:

9. Prevention of disability

The Government shall promote the prevention of disabilities through—

a) health and environmental education in schools and communities for restriction of the risk factors connected with the way of life and the environment;

(b) health prophylactics;

(c) enforcement of healthy and safe labour conditions;

(d) the introduction of a system of early identification of disabilities and intervention or strengthening of existing systems to minimize disabilities among children and the elderly;

(e) the strengthening and implementation of road safety policies to minimize road accidents;

(f) the strengthening of programmes for land-mine clearance where mines exist to protect persons from these mines which cause disabilities;

(g) the enforcement of all activities and services that may help to prevent disabilities in people.