the goan I network
Panjim
The Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) has denied allegations that persons with locomotor disabilities were asked to take a full body photo in a semi-naked state for photographs for their disability certificate/railway concession. The medical superintendent (MS) has nonetheless instructed doctors not to insist on such type of photographs.
In a written reply to the dean, which was forwarded to the Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC), Dr Ugam Usgaonkar, chairman of the medical board said, “On inquiry with members of (the) medical board and clerical staff, it has been found that no personnel has asked for or insisted (on) full body photograph for patients with disability.”
He added however, that if any individual case of this kind had come to the notice of the complainant, the case could be brought to his notice for appropriate action.
Meanwhile, the medical superintendent Dr Bandekar wrote to the dean calling the allegations “baseless.” He said that in the case of locomotor disability certification, the department accepted 3x4 inch passport size photograph “showing the face only.”
The GHRC had earlier taken cognisance of a complaint filed by Prakash Kundaikar where he had said, from personal experience, that when he went to the GMC, he was made to affix a full body photo in semi-naked state in a passport sized photo.
Earlier, facing a similar situation, Vishant Nagvekar had written to the dean of the GMC a month ago, to take cognisance of the situation as the procedure was “not only not mandated by law, but embarassing for the person in question.”
His complaint expressed that while a medical examination was indeed required to determine the disability, a photograph could not always show the disability a person had.
The rules of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights, and full Participation) Act 1996 had been amended in the year 2009.
With the amendment, the full body photograph which was mandatory earlier was replaced with “Recent PP size attested photograph (showing face only) of the person with disability.”
