Why spinal cord injury needs special mention under disabilities bill

June 28, 2017 16:13

The passage of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill by both the Houses of Parliament is a 'Mars Orbiter' moment for her, points out Dr (Ms) Ketna L Mehta, image, left, founder trustee of Nina Foundation which has been doing tremendous work among paraplegics and quadriplegics in Mumbai.

What the bill means is that the rights which are taken for granted in most countries and provided by the Constitution and law of the land were finally and officially bequeathed by the Indian government in December 2016, and the bill awaits the President's approval before becoming law.

However, Ketna writes, for us at Nina Foundation which focuses on rehabilitating friends with spinal cord injury caused by accidents, falls , sports, violence including terror attacks and diseases of the spine, our crusade to list SCI as a separate and distinct disability in this Bill continues.

'Since 2012 we have been communicating and lobbying with the ministry and concerned bureaucrats to acknowledge spinal cord injury as a separate disability. We once again appeal to the ministry of social justice and welfare to do so right away, before the president inks it,' she says.

'It is imperative that spinal cord injury is included as a separate head in the schedule of various disabilities listed under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill.'

To support its argument, Nina Foundation quotes these facts researched over the years (since 2000).

* The World Health Organisation has declared spinal cord injury as the most devastating permanent disability.

* The IPSCI (International Perspectives on Spinal Cord Injury) report 2013 by WHO provides an analysis on how to improve the lives of people with disabilities in the areas of health, rehabilitation, assistance and support, infrastructure, transportation, education and employment.

* Road accidents are the major cause for spinal cord injury, and 1.2 lakh deaths and 12 lakh persons getting seriously injured in India. The average age of spinal cord injured person is 31.

* India has 1.5 million people with SCI, with approximately 20,000 people added each year.

* The Americans with Disabilities Act lists spinal cord injury as a separate disability.

* Though USA has only 250,000 people with spinal cord injury, there are 14 Model SCI rehab centres, innumerable SCI gyms, rehabilitation programmes both for quadriplegics and paraplegics as well as a huge assistive technology and a home modification industry to enable the integration and economic independence of the SCIs.

* Spinal cord injury affects the nerves, movement, sensation, bladder, bowel, bones, respiration, skin, fertility and sometimes even causes a psychological effect.

'It's an injustice to club it under the 'multiple disabilities' category as SCI rehabilitation is a precise field with a specialised medical team and assistive technology designed to empower and equip the spinal cord injured.

'Secondary complications like bedsores, pressure sores and urinary tract infection can be extremely financially and energy sapping for the family.

'I do hope the above facts will galvanise the government to acknowledge spinal cord injury as an independent disability and have future policy guidelines developed to improve the quality of life of friends with SCI,' signs off Dr Ketna Mehta.

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