NHRC aks Centre, states to amend laws that are discriminatory towards leprosy patients

Identifying 97 Acts and Rules enacted by the Centre and states as having provisions that are discriminatory towards leprosy patients, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked the governments to take steps to amend them to end discrimination of such people.

Issuing an 'Advisory on Identification, Treatment, Rehabilitation and Elimination of Discrimination of Persons Affected by Leprosy', the NHRC asked authorities to ensure that no person suffering from leprosy or any of his family members is discriminated against and denied all or any of the right to healthcare, employment, education and land rights.

The advisory has highlighted the need for an raising awareness about the fact that leprosy is fully curable and a person suffering from the disease no longer remains contagious after receipt of first dose of MDT. They can lead a normal married life, can have children, can take part in social events and go to work or school/college as normal, it said.

It has identified 97 laws — of which Centre accounted for 21, Andhra Pradesh for 20, Tamil Nadu 13, Kerala 7 and Telangana 6 — as being discriminative towards leprosy patients. Karnataka has three such laws.

These provisions related to removal of leprosy patients from being employees and members of University bodies, disqualification of persons suffering from leprosy for election as a corporators, preventing people with leprosy from entering markets and disallowing people suffering from leprosy to travel by Metro among others.

In Karnataka, the Hindu Religious Institutions And Charitable Endowments Act, 1997 does not allow a person with leprosy to be disqualified from being appointed or continue as a member of the Committee of Management of any notified institution. The Karnataka Municipalities (Regulation and Inspection of Lodging and Boarding Houses) (Model) ByeLaws, 1966 does not allow such a person to avail services or be employed while the Karnataka Municipalities Act, 1964 prevents them from entering markets or they can be expelled from the premises.

The Bangalore Metro Railway (Carriage And Ticket] Rules, 2011 enacted by the Centre disallows people with leprosy to board a metro train, unless a "closed (noninfective) leprosy patient carrying a certificate from a registered medical practitioner certifying him to be non-infective is presented.

"Amend 97 Laws providing for discrimination of leprosy-affected persons in a time-bound manner to end discrimination of such persons," the advisory said. The Centre should also consider enacting a law to provide for substitution of derogatory terms used to describe persons affected by leprosy, it added.

It also said that people affected by leprosy are not required to be sent to any special clinic or hospital or sanatorium and should not be isolated from the family members or the community, while emphasising the need for an awareness campaign.

The NHRC also asked governments to launch special programmes to provide vocational training, employment benefit, unemployment benefits, parental leave, health insurance and funeral benefits among others to the people affected by leprosy and their family members to enable them to achieve financial independence.

Other recommendations included the nudge to state governments to set up helplines to ensure prompt reporting and medical attention to new cases of leprosy as well as development of acute signs and symptoms of lepra reaction/new nerve function impairment in existing patients.

It has also emphasised the need to ensure availability of adequate stock of drugs and other accessories including the MDT drugs for treatment and management of leprosy and associated complications and make efforts to provide and expand mobile-based teleconsultation services.

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