The Karnataka government’s plan to bring Type-I diabetes under the Disability Act is a poorly thought-out attempt at addressing the problems of people suffering from the condition. Type-I diabetes or juvenile diabetes afflicts children mainly. It is a chronic condition in which the body does not produce insulin. Hence, the child needs to take multiple insulin injections every day. Failure to do so can result in several complications, including blindness and amputation of gangrenous limbs, even death. It is to support those children who have lost their vision or limbs due to uncontrolled diabetes that the proposal to bring the condition under the ambit of the Disability Act is aimed. The move is not unwelcome. After all, several juvenile diabetics do develop the disease’s deadly complications and the Disability Act, which promises support in the form of reservation of 4% of jobs in government service to those suffering from a range of physical and mental disabilities, would be useful. However, the government’s approach seems to be one of putting the cart before the horse. When it has done little to support children dealing with Type-I diabetes, even less to ensure that they can afford the medicines and tests that are vital for their survival, including the condition under the Disability Act is to start at the wrong end of the spectrum of supportive measures for children dealing with this condition.
Type-I diabetics are required to test their blood sugar levels several times daily. They need to get their cholesterol, retina and kidney functioning checked periodically. These tests are expensive, as are the insulin and syringes. Consequently, parents cannot afford the tests or treatment. Medical insurance policies do not cover routine tests and out-patient treatment and although insulin is provided free in BBMP hospitals, they are often short in supply. As a result, many Type-I diabetics are denied insulin. It paves the way for the complications to set in.
A diagnosis of Type-I diabetes is usually overwhelming for a child. She has to live with the perpetual fear of losing her limbs and vision. By including Type-I diabetes in the Disability Act without taking steps to facilitate tests and treatment, the government is reinforcing these fears, making it seem that disability is inevitable for a juvenile diabetic. It is not. A child can lead a full life if provided the right support. Better awareness of Type-I diabetes, free testing and treatment, and making the latest treatment accessible to all children living with the condition is necessary. Else, the inclusion of Type-I diabetes in the Disability Act will be a shallow gesture.