Supreme Court to hear plea seeking doorstep vaccination for people with disabilities

The Supreme Court of India will be hearing a plea seeking the formation of guidelines on October 29, for at-home vaccination of people with disabilities. The plea also seeks the apex court’s intervention in prioritised vaccination of people suffering from disabilities, citing that they are more contagious to the COVID-19 virus.

The plea will be heard by a bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud on October 29. The same bench had earlier proposed the centre and Solicitor General to help in the formulation of the steps and also asked them to apprise the bench on the steps that have already been taken in the ongoing matter. The bench wants the centre to take necessary action in the matter.

SC to hear plea seeking prioritised doorstep vaccination

The plea had raised questions on the steps being taken pertaining to the vaccination of disabled people. The Evara Foundation, a disability rights organisation, requested that the court direct attention to the efforts that must be taken to ensure that persons with disabilities have easy access to vaccination in order to protect them from COVID-19.

 The petition claimed that the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has said that people with disabilities should be allowed to take doorstep vaccination. The appeal also cited Jharkhand and Kerala as examples of states that have embraced this approach.

According to the petition, making an appointment at a certain vaccination facility is a highly specialized process, and those with impairments have difficulty being vaccinated. For persons with disabilities and their caretakers, seeking vaccines at their doorsteps is a difficult effort, according to the petition, and accessing vaccination centres during lockdowns in other areas is also a difficult task.

Health Ministry’s nod for vaccination at home for disabled people

The Health Ministry last month made it clear that people with special needs, or with disabilities or differently-abled and those who have issues with their free movement, will be vaccinated at their respective homes following the standard operating procedures (SOP). 

People who are left behind in administering the vaccines or failing to reach the vaccination centres due to issues like restricted mobility, special needs or disability, will now be benefitted from the initiative, informed Niti Aayog Member (health) - Dr V K Paul on Sept 23.

With ANI Inputs
Image: ANI/ Shutterstock