Abstract
This qualitative research aimed to examine the perspectives of three key informant groups purposively
selected from those who had direct experiences in receiving, providing medical rehabilitation services, and those responsible for development of related policy. The data were collected in May and
June 2014 in three focus group discussions (FGDs) involving 11 representatives of persons with disability
organizations, 13 service providers, and 16 executives and managers from respective policymaking
authorities. Content analysis was introduced in the data analysis.
The results showed that access to medical rehabilitation services including assistive devices among
persons with disability (PWDs) was limited. This was because PWDs did not get the information on
benefits and services provided in the public sector, and that most of them needed one or more accompanying
persons when they travelled to receive services. Other impediments included inadequate service
providers and the disparity, in terms of coverage and quality, of the information for PWDs disseminated
by public agencies. The lack of effective system for assistive devices management was identified as crucial
obstacle. It was agreed among FGD participants that health benefits for PWDs in the three governmentfinanced
schemes were different resulted in unequal access to services and assistive devices. Moreover,
when PWDs were employed by private business and therefore, transferred from the Universal Coverage
Scheme to the Social Security Scheme (SSS), their health benefits would be diminished because the latter
scheme covered fewer benefits than the former. To solve the problems as earlier mentioned, the FGD
participants proposed: (1) the National Committee for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities to
develop mechanisms to strengthen the integration and collaborations of organizations that ensure quality
of life of PWDs and allow PWD representatives to participate in every level of policy making decisions;
(2) PWDs databases currently managed by different institutes be strengthened and integrated with each
other; (3) increase the numbers of health providers for PWDs in particular areas of the country; and
(4) reduce the disparity in health benefits by collectively develop a single benefit package for use in the
three government schemes.
