International Day of Persons with Disabilities – Message from Prof. Jorge Lains

On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Prof. Jorge Lains shared a reflection on the meaning and importance of this global observance. He emphasized that the day is dedicated to “those people that suffer of health conditions that are interfering with functionality” and recalled that in Portugal it is also marked by the Portuguese Society and the National Institute for Rehabilitation .

Prof. Lains highlighted the scale of disability worldwide, noting that persons with disabilities «are not a minority. They represent currently more than 15% of the persons in the world» . He stressed the responsibility to respect their rights and to avoid viewing them as different from others: «We must respect them. We must think that they are no different from those that are fortunate not to having disabilities. And we must look as a right for those persons. It is a human right» .

For rehabilitation physicians, he added, supporting persons with disabilities in achieving quality of life is essential: «we must fight as rehabilitation doctors, to help them to have quality of life and the possibility of being happy» .

Reflecting more broadly on awareness days, Prof. Lains observed that «when we celebrate a day for any situation… we must always think that means that we are still working for better rights for those persons» .

He concluded by sharing an example from Portugal: wheelchair handball teams active in national competition, based in the rehabilitation center he directs in the central region of the country. He described the joy and motivation these athletes inspire in other patients, showing that «although they are with a disability, they are persons as any other. They can be happy even in their health condition. That’s what we are fighting for.» .