Poverty, inaccessible infrastructure, inadequate training of health professionals, and gaps in social care provision continue to widen the health equity divide.
Published Oct 08, 2025 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Oct 08, 2025 | 7:00 AM
Disability inclusion cannot rely on short-term or symbolic interventions; it demands long-term, multi-sectoral action across governments, civil society, and the health sector.
Synopsis: Poverty, inaccessible infrastructure and inadequate professional training have left nearly 130 crore people living with disabilities worldwide with poorer access to care and a life expectancy nearly fourteen years shorter than those without disabilities, according to a new report published in the journal Lancet. The authors argue that meaningful progress requires strong, sustained leadership across governments, civil society and the health sector.
With an estimated 130 crore people living with disabilities worldwide, a new Lancet report highlights that global health systems continue to overlook this population, leaving them with poorer access to care and a life expectancy shorter by nearly 14 years compared to people without disabilities.
Despite growing evidence and international data underscoring these inequities, the authors note that disability-inclusive health care still fails to receive the political and financial priority it deserves.
They argue that while health systems have made breakthroughs in areas such as tobacco control and infectious diseases, disability inclusion remains sidelined, largely because it lacks visible and committed leadership.
According to the recently published paper, the barriers that prevent people with disabilities from accessing equitable health care are complex and deeply rooted.
Poverty, inaccessible infrastructure, inadequate training of health professionals, and gaps in social care provision continue to widen the health equity divide.
The authors stress that disability inclusion cannot rely on short-term or symbolic interventions; it demands long-term, multi-sectoral action across governments, civil society, and the health sector.
The report also challenges the common perception that disability must be “prevented” or “cured,” arguing instead for systems that accommodate and empower individuals with disabilities.
“It’s a powerful and thought-provoking reminder that the goal of any government shouldn’t be to eliminate disability, that’s neither realistic nor desirable,” said Dr Satendra Singh, Director Professor of Physiology at the University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi.
The report emphasizes that the absence of strong leadership across governments, donor agencies, and global health institutions is the biggest obstacle to progress.
While past movements such as climate action and education have found champions like Greta Thunberg and Malala Yousafzai, disability-inclusive health lacks similar global figures to drive change.
The report also highlights examples of leadership that have made a difference, such as activist Judith Heumann’s advocacy in the United States, Penny Mordaunt’s initiatives in the United Kingdom, and Dr Satendra Singh’s own work in India, which helped make medical education more accessible to students with disabilities.
“The goal of public health needs to change, what’s needed now is leadership in disability-inclusive health. It’s not just about healthcare, it’s about human rights,” added Dr Singh.
The authors conclude that true progress in disability-inclusive health will require not only policy reform but also moral commitment, to ensure that people with disabilities are never again left behind in global health care systems.
