New Delhi, Feb 21 (TIWN) The Disabled Doctors Association 'Doctors with Disabilities' has suggested the health ministry not to seek government IDs from disabled persons before vaccination.

“Persons with disabilities should not be asked to prove disability. People with some specified disabilities (athetoid cerebral palsy, person affected by leprosy, amputees, intellectual disabilities, visual disabilities) face difficulty during biometrics (thumb impression and iris scan) and therefore do not have Aadhaar cards. Many CVCs insist on the card despite a Supreme Court order on not making it mandatory. People with disabilities should not be coerced and any other identity card be used”, reads the suggestion which has been sent to both the ministries of Social Justice and Health.  In response to a plea filed by an NGO Evara Foundation, the apex court had directed this Department to invite suggestions and responses from all stakeholders and domain experts in the area of disability with regard to existing facilities and suggestions for further upgradation of the existing framework of vaccination for the Persons with Disabilities.  The suggestion letter reads further that the prioritization concept adopted by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC) lacked representation of health professionals with disabilities, and organizations of doctors with disabilities were never involved in the development of vaccine priority groups by either NEGVAC or the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).