The Unjust Burden: Making Doctors Prove Their Disabilities
In a world that often overlooks the struggles of people with disabilities, a shocking incident unfolded recently, leaving a bitter taste. A senior officer, confined to a wheelchair for decades, was ordered to 'prove' his disability once more, igniting a debate on the treatment of disabled individuals.
This isn't a tale from the past; it happened this very month, during a time when we celebrate International Day of Persons with Disabilities and Human Rights Day. A series of events, triggered by an arbitrary decree, exposed the harsh reality faced by disabled professionals.
The Divyang Welfare Department, under the authority of IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe, issued a controversial order. Instead of focusing on improving accessibility or implementing long-overdue disability rights, the hospital administration chose to scrutinize its own disabled staff.
Every disabled employee, from professors to clinicians, received the same message: prove your disability again. This demand was made regardless of their permanent UDID certificates or their role in certifying disabilities for others.
But here's where it gets controversial... One faculty member, a doctor affected by polio, was instructed to undergo an invasive test to 're-evaluate' her disability. Despite her visible caliper and clinical documentation, she had to climb two floors due to non-functional elevators. Another senior professor was ordered to undergo X-rays, questioning his lifelong disability. These professionals, who have healed and taught countless others, were treated as suspects.
And this is the part most people miss... These individuals are not new recruits; they are long-serving faculty members with verified disabilities. They have succeeded despite an exclusionary system. Yet, they were subjected to an endless cycle of 'agni parikshas', a humiliating process.
What happened in these Mumbai hospitals is not just a legal violation; it's a betrayal of the medical profession's ethical code. The consultants, who preach non-maleficence and human dignity, forgot these principles when it came to their disabled colleagues. No one questioned the unnecessary tests or the degradation inflicted.
If the Maharashtra government truly cares about certificate fraud, the solution is clear: investigate the doctors issuing false certificates. Instead, they punish those who follow the law.
The deeper injury here is not physical; it's the wound of humiliation and mistrust. Doctors, who expect solidarity, found themselves abandoned and interrogated by their own institutions.
In the future, when we reflect on disability rights in India, this moment will be a turning point. It will be a reminder of how great hospitals failed their own, how ethics bowed to bureaucracy, and how disability justice was crushed. But it might also be the catalyst for change.
Maharashtra's new chief secretary, with his experience in disability empowerment, has a choice: to halt this moral decline or let this moment pass unnoticed.
Dr. Satendra Singh, a medical doctor and professor, shares his personal views on this matter.
