Will it be assumed that those with disabilities do not deserve life-saving care?
, Professor Keymanthri Moodley from the Centre for Medical Ethics and Law at Stellenbosch University notes that healthcare workers will have an unenviable responsibility to make difficult and “soul-wrenching decisions” regarding prioritising who will have access to ventilators as the Covid-19 pandemic takes hold. It is important in South Africa and elsewhere for there to be protocols to assist decision-makers with what will be burdensome decisions.
Here is some of the story of Vic and Emma over the past few weeks. Before lockdown, we spoke about our fears regarding Covid-19. What would happen if we caught it? Would we be given treatment? Would Vic be ventilated? Vic is unable to cough properly because his chest muscles are paralysed, and contracting Covid-19 would most likely be devastating. We discussed how we would tell our two sons, aged 8 and 5.
When it comes to Covid-19, as people who may be particularly vulnerable, we feel angry when people we know ignore the lockdown rules and use the “We will be fine and it’s just others that need to worry” excuse. We are worried. We are so fearful that we have decided to lockdown with only one care assistant. In order to live, since his accident Vic has needed 24-hour care, and we have traditionally employed two care workers on a shift basis.
Moodley’s article concludes with the need to have a standardised national prioritisation plan in place in order to effectively respond to the pandemic. We agree fully. At a time of crisis we need to do the best we can to use resources in as fair a way as possible. As most South Africans are aware, health resources in our country have historically been withheld from people on the basis of race, gender and age.
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