On 3^rd December 2023, the UN’s International Day of People with Disability, we would like to congratulate to Dr Ming Loh, Geriatrician, as the recipient of the Inaugural PEISAH INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS IN CLINICAL PRACTICE AWARD.

Governments, organisations and individuals use terms like ‘Human Rights approach’ in strategies and documentation but too often the words stay on the page and are not translated into action. Special people are working among us who embody this human rights approach daily. Dr Loh walks the talk with regards to exemplary clinical practice that embodies ensuring equal access to health, dignity, autonomy and respect for relationships for older person particularly those with Dementia. He is an exemplar of an anti-ageist warrior in clinical practice. 

This new, annual award goes to a clinician (Dr, nurse, allied health practitioner) who walks the talk regarding human rights, supporting the actualisation of human rights for people with disability in everyday clinical practice, as embodied in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD – see https://social.desa.un.org/issues/disability/crpd/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities-crpd).

This may include, but is not limited to any/ of the following

• ensuring equitable access to the highest standard on health and meeting needs on account of disability, (Article 25)
• combatting ageism in health (including combatting apathy, therapeutic nihilism and disregard for the health needs of older persons),
• promoting dignity, autonomy and respect, (Articles 1, 8 and 12)
• promoting family relationships and supporting families (article 23)  
• preventing cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of people living with disability

In a world where ageism in health is ubiquitous and global, evident in 45 countries (Chang, 2020) older persons are denied equitable access to health services and treatments. Age dictates:

• who receives certain procedures or treatments,
• how long people wait for such.
• whether life-sustaining treatments are withheld.
• health professional behaviour of nihilism, apathy and inertia.    

Chang ES, Kannoth S, Levy S, Wang SY, Lee JE, et al. (2020) Global reach of ageism on older persons’ health: A systematic review. PLOS ONE 15(1): e0220857.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0220857