Accessibility assessment of hospitals in a metropolitan city of a developing country

Rabia Faizan (), Eisha Azam () and Nabiha Naveed ()

International Journal of Asian Social Science, 2025, vol. 15, issue 11, 406-416

Abstract: Accessibility of hospitals is a fundamental human right, and with the increasing percentage of people with disabilities, hospital accessibility is becoming more critical to ensure their health and well-being. Most people with disabilities worldwide reside in developing countries. Pakistan, a developing country, has more than 10% of its population suffering from some form of disability, whether cognitive or physical. As this percentage continues to grow, it is essential for the government to develop policies that guarantee hospital accessibility for all. However, there exists a gap between policy formulation and practical implementation. This study focused on examining the accessibility conditions of various types of hospitals—public, private, and public-private partnership hospitals—in Lahore, the second-largest metropolitan city of Pakistan. The research employed both local and international accessibility standards to develop an assessment tool that evaluated five key areas within hospitals: parking, building entrances, corridors, toilets, and wayfinding. Thirteen hospitals were assessed using this tool, and the results indicated below-average compliance across all categories. The findings highlight the discrepancy between the creation of accessibility codes on paper and their actual implementation, emphasizing the need for the government to establish laws or regulatory bodies to ensure compliance and improve hospital accessibility for people with disabilities.

Keywords: Accessibility; Disability; Healthcare facilities; Hospitals; Inclusive design; Physical access. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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