Discussing future collaborations to enhance health equity for children with disabilities

Tonight a team met to discuss future collaborations to enhance health equity for children with disabilities. There are a number of grants and opportunities available that will enable us to undertake research to change children's lives if we are successful.

Prof Sharynne McLeod, Dr Mel Greaux, Carly Evans (CSU Advancement), A/Prof Tamara Cumming

 

COSP18 side event - Launch of the WHO Global Initiative on Health Equity for Persons with Disabilities (COSP18 Side Event)

The launch of the WHO Global Initiative on Health Equity for Persons with Disabilities (COSP18 Side Event) occurred on 10 June 21025 in New York. https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1b/k1bib36592 Dirk Platzen (Australia) announced Australia's shift from "disability inclusion" to "disability equity" and how the voices of people with disability were important in our the country's efforts.

https://www.who.int/initiatives/disability-health-equity-initiative 

Communication disability in low- and middle-income countries: A call to action

The following manuscript has been accepted for publication:

Marshall, J. E., Wylie, K., McLeod, S., Barrett, H., McAllister, L., Atherton, M., Hettiarachchi, S., Owusu, N. A. (2024, in press May) Communication disability in low- and middle-income countries: A call to action. BMJ Global Health.

Summary: 

• "Communication disability is a common but under-reported and often neglected part of health, rehabilitation and disability services, despite communication being a human right.
• Communication disability has far-reaching impacts throughout life.
• Innovation is required in contexts where services for people with communication disability are limited - particularly low and middle-income countries.
• Local and national governments, funders/commissioners, communication disability experts, universities, non-government organisations, communities, health, social care, rehabilitation services and education sectors all have a role to play in putting communication disability on the global disability/ (re)habilitation agenda.

This paper took many years to write and get published - mostly because it is not easy to distill important research with clarity. I worked on a version while at Manchester Metropolitan University last year. I am very glad it has been accepted and thank Julie Marshall and Karen Wylie for leading this paper.

This work speaks to the World Health Organization's Global report on health equity for persons with disabilities https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240063600