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Toward a National Program to Support Persons with Disabilities during Emergencies: Lessons from the Ramadan War in Iran
Shahrzad Pakjouei *
Health in Emergency and Disaster Research Center, Social Health Research Institute, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abstract:   (26 Views)
Persons with disabilities are disproportionately affected during armed conflicts, yet emergency response systems often struggle to translate existing knowledge into coordinated disability-inclusive preparedness and response. The recent Ramadan War in Iran has further highlighted the gap between identifying the needs of Persons with disabilities and establishing coordinated mechanisms to address them. Although published evidence from this conflict remains limited, the recent national needs assessment conducted by the Islamic Parliament Research Center of Iran documented major disruptions in rehabilitation services, access to medicines and assistive products, accessible shelters, transportation, and psychosocial support, and recommended the development of a National Program for Supporting Persons with Disabilities during Natural and Human-Made Crises. Building on these findings and international evidence, this letter argues that Iran should move beyond documenting unmet needs toward developing an evidence-informed, disability-inclusive national program that integrates rehabilitation, health, social welfare, and disaster management across all phases of emergency management. Such a program should be developed through intersectoral collaboration and the meaningful participation of persons with disabilities, while future implementation and health systems research should support its design, implementation, and evaluation. The Ramadan War provides an important opportunity to strengthen disability-inclusive emergency preparedness and ensure more equitable protection of the health, dignity, and rights of persons with disabilities during future humanitarian emergencies.
 
Keywords: Persons with disabilities, Armed conflict, Humanitarian emergencies, Emergency preparedness, Rehabilitation, National program, Iran
     
Article type: Letter to Editor | Subject: Rehabilitation
Received: 2026/07/15 | Accepted: 2026/08/15
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