25Healthcare

(1) The appropriate Government and the local authorities shall take necessary measures for the persons with disabilities to provide,

(a) free healthcare in the vicinity specially in rural area subject to such family income as may be notified;

(b) barrier-free access in all parts of Government and private hospitals and other healthcare institutions and centres;

(c) priority in attendance and treatment.

(2) The appropriate Government and the local authorities shall take measures and make schemes or programmes to promote healthcare and prevent the occurrence of disabilities and for the said purpose shall

(a) undertake or cause to be undertaken surveys, investigations and research concerning the cause of occurrence of disabilities;

(b) promote various methods for preventing disabilities;

(c) screen all the children at least once in a year for the purpose of identifying "at-risk" cases;

(d) provide facilities for training to the staff at the primary health centres;

(e) sponsor or cause to be sponsored awareness campaigns and disseminate or cause to be disseminated information for general hygiene, health and sanitation;

(f) take measures for pre-natal, perinatal and post-natal care of mother and child;

(g) educate the public through the pre-schools, schools, primary health centres, village level workers and anganwadi workers;

(h) create awareness amongst the masses through television, radio and other mass media on the causes of disabilities and the preventive measures to be adopted;

(i) healthcare during the time of natural disasters and other situations of risk;

(j) essential medical facilities for life saving emergency treatment and procedures; and

(k) sexual and reproductive healthcare especially for women with disability.