New care home regulations give people with disabilities right to consultation

AMMAN — “People with disabilities have the right to make their own decisions,” states the People with Disabilities Law No. 20 of 2017, some components of which went into effect on Wednesday.

“Everyone deserves an equal chance at enjoying their rights, and we need to make sure that the process is just as easy for people with disabilities,” stressed HH Prince Mired during the conference to launch the regulations, which was held by the Higher Council for the Rights of People with Disabilities.

The new components of the law being phased in dictate a number of new regulations, all of which were shaped by 40 experts, for care homes assigned for people with disabilities, according to Secretary General of the Ministry of Health Hekmat Abu Foul.

A report distributed at the launch called the new regulations “progressive”, meaning that they “are in line with new human rights regulations and scientific discoveries in the field”.

A new by-law, for example, states that “all personnel working at care homes for people with disabilities have to undergo training to counter culturally-formed stereotypes”, which has been found to “obstruct the process of correctly diagnosing patients”.

Under the regulations, patients will be consulted about the choice of treatment and diagnosis they receive. In the past, only parents, guardians and doctors were included in the decision-making process.