| Civic groups representing people with disabilities call for the eradication of discrimination against disabled people during a rally near the Ministry of Health and Welfare building in Sejong, Tuesday. The event was organized to mark the Day of the Disabled People in Korea which falls on April 20. Yonhap |
By Lee Hyo-jin
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on vulnerable groups in society, and exposed Korea's ill-prepared support network for the disabled population in case of national disasters and infectious disease outbreaks.
During the early stages of the pandemic, disabled people experienced limited access to face masks and COVID-19-related information due insufficient communication platforms, as well as medical services. Also, for people with severe physical disabilities, the mandatory self-isolation rule came as a challenge.
A man surnamed Kim, 37, who was only able to use his left arm due to his physical disability, had to endure his self-isolation period without any help from others. Kim, who lived alone in Daegu, was put under 14 days of self-isolation after he came into close contact with a person who tested positive in April, 2020.
Other than a self-isolation kit containing rice, instant noodles and kimchi, no additional support was provided for him. His only meal a day was a microwaved meal-kit, with the only other option for Kim was to order food and crawl to the door to get it.
That account was shared during a discussion session on “COVID-19 and disabled people” organized by Rep. Choi Hye-young of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, Tuesday. The event was held to mark the Day of the Disabled in Korea, which falls April 20.
Lawyers and civic activists pointed out the absence of tailored response measures for the disabled population during the year-long pandemic, and shared their opinions on how to increase support for them.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare has introduced support measures including urgent care services, as care centers for the disabled and similar facilities were shut down due to the pandemic. But many of the measures failed to reach those in need, according to civic groups.
| Civic groups representing people with disabilities hold a rally in front of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea building in Seoul, in this Feb. 26, 2020 photo, demanding the eradication of discrimination against disabled people in anti-COVID-19 measures. Yonhap |
One reason for this was a lack of communication between central and local governments, according to a report released by?Duroo Association for Public Interest Law on the current status of disabled people's human rights during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The health ministry issue guidelines to local governments on providing support services for disabled people in their areas. But provincial governments are reluctant to carry out such programs as they require a lot of money. This results in a gap between the government's guidelines and actual support,” the report stated.
Lee Ju-eun, a lawyer at Duroo Association, said that such problems will continue unless the government comes up with comprehensive infectious disease response measures for the disabled.
“The government has been continuing to introduce support measures only after problems arise. The belated measures devised from the perspective of non-disabled policymakers often fail to reflect the actual needs of disabled people,” Lee told The Korea Times.
She called on the government to cooperate with the disabled community in devising detailed manuals to ensure the disabled population's access to information, fundamental medical services and sufficient care.
Lee viewed that the manuals should be included in the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, so that they can be applied in case of infectious disease outbreaks in the future.
Meanwhile, a shortage of caretakers in the social welfare system has placed a heavy burden on families with disabled people, according to a recent survey conducted by the National Center for Disabled Children and Developmental Disabilities in Ulsan.
Among 777 parents of children with development disabilities, 54 percent said their children's challenging behavior, such as self-harm, aggression and impulsive actions increased due to longer hours spent at home, and 75 percent replied they were suffering from mental stress looking after them.
| Paintings by citizens promoting equality for people with disabilities are displayed at the lobby of Jung-gu Office in Daegu, Tuesday. Yonhap |
“With special schools and daycare centers closed, many parents of children with developmental disabilities have been taking care of their children on a 24/7 basis,” Youn Jong-sul, head of the Korean Parents' Network for People with Disabilities, said during an interview with a local radio program, Tuesday.
“About 10 tragic incidents involving disabled children and their families, for instance, children going missing, suicides or attempts, have occurred over the past year,” he said, explaining about the care burden placed on parents.
In June last year, a single mother and her son with a developmental disability were found dead in an apparent suicide in Gwangju. She had been taking care of her son alone at home after school and local welfare centers were shut down due to the pandemic. A similar case occurred in March on Jeju.