Three Bills passed to end bias against the deaf and mute, leprosy-affected, those with unsound mind 

Such persons can henceforth be appointed members of the Board of Dr. NTRUHS and will be eligible for registration as medical practitioners, says Health Minister

The Andhra Pradesh (A.P.) Legislative Assembly on Monday passed Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences (Amendment) Bill, 2024, AP (Andhra Area) Ayurvedic and Homeopathic Medical Practitioners Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2024 and AP Medical Practitioners Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2024. 

Introducing all the three Bills, Health Minister Y. Satya Kumar said they were intended to stop discrimination against the persons with unsound mind, the deaf and mute, and leprosy-affected persons, and were being enacted as per the recommendations made by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE).

He stated that persons with the above mentioned problems could henceforth be appointed members of the Board of Dr. NTRUHS and would be eligible for registration as ayurvedic and homeopathic medical practitioners and as medical practitioners in general under the respective Acts. 

In 2022, the NHRC had found that there were 20 Acts in A.P. (among 97 such laws in the country) under which leprosy-affected were being treated unfairly and those laws were to be amended to end the discrimination against them. Therefore, the NTRUHS Act of 1986 has been amended now. 

The MoSJE recommended in 2023 that the other two Acts mentioned above be amended to treat persons with unsound mind and the deaf and mute equally with other individuals pursuing careers as medical practitioners. 

Published - November 18, 2024 09:10 pm IST