Human rights commission finds GMC violated disability norms

Panaji: After finding that the human rights of a person with disabilities (PwD) was violated by the Goa Medical College (GMC) and Hospital, Bambolim the Goa state human rights commission (GSHRC) on Monday directed the dean and medical superintendent of GMC to withdraw the old forms and issue disability certificates “forthwith without the barred expression handicapped”.

The commission also recommended that the disability certificate be re-issued to the complainant without the barred expression within 30 days.

Member of the legal aid cell of V M Salgaoncar College, Ashwin Naik while representing the complainant, a person with disability, filed a complaint that despite the provisions of the rights of Persons With Disabilities Act 2016, and the circular from the directorate of social welfare, the dean and medical superintendent (MS), GMC were still using old formats containing the barred expression while issuing disability certificates.

The complainant was issued a disability certificate in 2021 containing the barred expression “handicapped” at three places.

“The commission finds that by not following the provisions of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and the circular of the directorate of social welfare dated April 6, 2020, the human rights of the complainant have been violated. It appears that the old printed forms are still in use containing the barred expression,” the commission further stated.

Dr Mahesh Kambli representing the dean and medical superintendent, GMC submitted that they have issued new formats omitting the barred expressions.