What is Physical Disability?

UNAPD defines Physical Disability as either the absence, non-function, or mal-function of a bone, a muscle, nerve, or any part of the body, resulting into the person having restricted movement, agility or has a countenance or gait that is regarded ordinarily not normal or needs the support of assistive devices to move.

The Ministry of Health, however, defines Physical Disability as all those disabilities that affect movement and posture of a person, and is often referred to as Movement Disability.


Levels of Physical Disability

Physical disability is grouped by Ministry of Health as:

Mild - The impairment does not cause significant disability

Moderate - The impairment brings about disability but one can move without depending on appliances.

Severe - Heavily dependent on appliances and other people for activities of daily living.


Causes of Physical Disabilities

  • Accidents
  • Diseases such as polio and malaria
  • Wars
  • Birth defects
  • Poor feeding/ malnutrition
  • Poor antenatal care

Types of Physical Disabilities

Persons whose disabilities were caused or have the following, are members or legible to become members of UNAPD.

  • Disability caused by Polio
  • Clubfoot
  • Effects of Leprosy
  • Brain Injury and Cerebral Palsy
  • Scoliosis (hunch back)
  • Spinal Cord Injury
  • Birth defects
  • Dwarfism and Gigantism
  • Injury, burns and amputations
  • Spinal Bifida (swelling of the spinal cord)
  • Muscular Dystrophy and Muscular Atrophy (progressive weakness of muscles and body function)
  • Juvenile Arthritis, Rheumatism and other joint pains
  • Bone infections (including tuberculosis of the spine)
  • Hip problems
  • Elephantiasis
  • Others including multiple disabilities