National Policies for Disabled People

Disability is a significant public health problem, especially in developing countries like India. The increasing trend of non-communicable diseases and changing age structure with increasing life expectancy will increase this problem. The problems are different in developed and developing countries, and rehabilitation measures need to be tailored to the needs of people with disabilities due to social participation. In India, the majority of persons with disabilities live in rural areas and the accessibility, availability, acceptance, and cost-effectiveness of rehabilitation services are major considerations. Researching the burden of disability, appropriate intervention strategies and their implementation in the current situation in India is a major challenge. Current data were collected and analysed by Midline and various other sources. This paper describes various issues and challenges related to disability and rehabilitation services in India, emphasising the enhancement of health care and service delivery to persons with disabilities in the community.