Overview

iHEAR Access Matters is a participatory action research project that aims to make public health facilities more accessible & inclusive for people with disabilities. This project conducts accessibility audits of secondary & tertiary public health facilities in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Goa, to highlight the existing accessibility structures in public health facilities and formulate an action plan to increase accessibility in them.

Rationale

• PwDs face significant challenges accessing healthcare settings, including navigation, affordability, information access, inadequate resources, non-inclusive infrastructure, technology & services.

• The WHO Global Report on Health Equity for PwD highlights the need to integrate disability inclusion into public health initiatives from the outset, emphasising the importance of consulting individuals with disabilities (WHO, 2022). Transportation barriers, difficulties in bookings & post-hospital care further hinder access to healthcare.

• Accessible India Campaign & The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPDA) mandates accessibility measures in all public healthcare settings by June 15, 2022, yet implementation has fallen short. Barriers to health equity persist.

Partner/s

Azim Premji University Health Research Funding Programme 2023