The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) has urged the Lagos State Government to remove all barriers to COVID-19 vaccine access for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).

Its Executive Director, David Anyaele, said the barriers were physical, communication, structural and attitudinal.

He spoke in Lagos at the public presentation of a report on access to the COVID-19 vaccine among PWDs in the state.

He lamented that PWDs in Nigeria “face a plethora of challenges that often undermine their access to social and healthcare services.”

During the presentation handled by the Centre’s Senior Programme (Research) Officer, Mr Victor Owoyomi, it was established that the PWDs were shared into clusters of physical, deaf, blind, spinal cord injured, albinism and leprosy to arrive at the findings contained in the report.

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Owoyomi said majority of the clusters were aware of the arrival of the vaccine but demonstrated poor knowledge of its availability, safety and efficacy.

He added that the PWDs showed wrong perceptions and several misconceptions about the vaccine.

He said: “Many reported to have been extremely discouraged about the cost of transportation to the COVID-19 vaccination centres.

“All the PWDs head clusters in Lagos indicated that none of them has been engaged or involved in any of the COVID-19 vaccine government engagement/fora.

“This has further promoted institutional discrimination against PWDs in accessing COVID-19 vaccine in Lagos.”

To address the communication barrier, Anyaele advised the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board (PHCB) to strongly consider enlisting the service of ad-hoc sign language interpreters at various vaccination centres to ensure inclusiveness for PWDs with hearing impairment.

Citing the facility at the seat of power Alausa, he urged PHCB to “as a matter of urgency” make the centre accessible to persons with physical disabilities against the backdrop of one of the findings in the report that shows some persons can’t use the stairs.