Disability is an umbrella term that includes impairments, difficulties performing daily tasks, and challenges with engaging in life situations. This experience is recognized as an intrinsic and natural part of being human. Disability results from the complex interaction between a person's health condition – such as depression, cerebral palsy or spinal cord injury – and their surrounding environmental and personal factors. External factors, including negative attitudes, physical barriers like inaccessible public buildings or transportation, and limited social support, often hinder a person’s ability to participate fully in society. As of the latest data from 2021, an estimated 1.3 billion people globally experience significant disability, representing 16% of the world’s population, or about 1 in every 6 individuals. In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, the estimated proportion is 14.7% of the population living with significant disability.

This population is growing, partly due to the rising prevalence of noncommunicable diseases and people living longer lives. Persons with disabilities are a diverse group, and their experiences and health needs are further influenced by factors such as age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and economic situation.

Despite progress in many areas, persons with disabilities consistently face systemic health inequities that hinder their full participation in society. These differences in health outcomes result in persons with disabilities dying earlier and experiencing poorer health and greater limitations in everyday activities. Some individuals may die up to 20 years earlier than those without disabilities. They also have more than a double risk of developing comorbid conditions, including diabetes, stroke, asthma and depression. Limited access to health care arises not just from physical or functional limits but also from the compounded consequences of stigma, discrimination, negative provider attitudes, inadequate communication, financial constraints and insufficient health system response.

For example, studies reveal that inaccessible and unaffordable transportation is up to 15 times more limiting for persons with disabilities than for the general population. Similarly, inaccessible health facilities can be six times more hindering.

Across the Region, countries are advancing efforts to improve equitable access to health care for persons with disabilities. Building on this momentum, there is a need for strengthening health workers’ capacity to communicate effectively with persons with disabilities, and for addressing financial and transportation barriers that affect access to services. The development and refinement of inclusive, evidence-based policies and programmes for persons with disabilities can be strengthened through improved availability and use of disability data. To advance universal health coverage, research on the accessibility of health care services in conflict-affected and emergency settings must meaningfully include and represent persons with disabilities. Engaging with persons with disabilities and their representatives at every stage of research, policy-making, and programme design is imperative to ensure that health systems are responsive, inclusive and grounded in lived experience.

The World Health Organization is committed to fully promoting and integrating disability inclusion in the health sector. The Organization works to ensure that persons with disabilities have equitable access to effective health services, are included in preparedness and response for health emergencies, and can access cross-sectoral public health interventions. The Global report on health equity for persons with disabilities (2022), developed following the World Health Assembly resolution WHA74.8 (2021), outlines 10 strategic entry points 40 key actions governments can take to strengthen health systems and reduce health inequities.

Building on the 10 strategic entry points, 15 countries in the Region, representing 80% of its population, conducted a situation analysis on disability-inclusive health systems with WHO support. The aim was to assess current evidence and policies on disability inclusion in the health sector and provide insights to inform and promote stronger action across the Region. The situation analysis underlines the need to strengthen disability inclusion in the health sector across areas such as policy, planning, financing, data, research and training. This is in line the findings of the 2022 rapid assessment of disability inclusion in the COVID-19 health responses across the Region. Both endeavours highlighted the need for expanding access to consistent, comprehensive care across countries, income groups, and urban and rural settings, while also reducing financial barriers and stigma and strengthening disability training for health and care workers in order to forge a clear path towards more equitable and inclusive health systems.