Notice to major Delhi hospitals over inadequate accessible infra by Disability Affairs Commissioner

New Delhi: The Office of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities has issued a notice to some of the major healthcare establishments in Delhi for failing to provide adequate accessible infrastructure to people with disabilities.

The Court of Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) has directed responses from the Central Health Education Bureau (CHEB), Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Safdarjung Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College and Sucheta Kriplani Hospital, Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) following a complaint filed by Dr Satendra Singh, a professor with 70 per cent locomotor disability.

A copy of the notice and complaint was shared with PTI.

Dr Singh’s complaint, dated September 9, alleges failure to provide accessible infrastructure at CHEB, DGHS, Safdarjung Hospital, Lady Hardinge Hospital, RML and ICMR, violating the provisions of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act.

The notice emphasizes key sections of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, which mandates that persons with disabilities be provided an environment that ensures their equality and dignity, and prohibits discrimination based on disability.

It highlights the legal requirements for the government establishments to notify an Equal Opportunity Policy and appoint a Grievance Redressal Officer, which must be registered with the Chief Commissioner.

The respondents have been asked to file their comments on the complaint within 15 days, including any action taken to comply with the statutory provisions under Sections 40, 44, 45 and 46 of the Act.

The failure to respond within the specified timeframe could result in an ex-parte decision by the Court, the notice warned.

Speaking to PTI about his complaint, Singh said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) released Accessibility Standards for Healthcare in 2022, yet three key hospitals under its Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) remain disabled-unfriendly despite the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act of 2016 mandating accessibility as a legal requirement.

"Likewise, despite organizing multiple meetings on assistive technologies, the Central Health Education Bureau (CHEB) and ICMR continue to exclude real stakeholders by maintaining inaccessible premises. Is this how we plan to achieve a "Viksit Bharat" or bid for the Olympics?" he said.