Mumbai: The recent incident at the Ranchi airport wherein a child with special needs was not allowed to board a flight as he appeared to be in a “state of panic” has prompted the Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) to call for periodic sensitisation of staff from all sectors.
The IPS, an umbrella body of over 7,000 psychiatrists in India, has also written to the civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia early this week condemning the incident and offering to conduct regular training sessions for the aviation staff.
“We want to ensure that such incidents are not repeated, and the members of our Persons with Disability (PWD) task force can partner for such training sessions,” said IPS president Dr NN Raju.
In its letter, the IPS highlighted that the children with special needs often react to minor changes in stimuli, and once they are comfortable, they can manage the situation. “The Rights of Persons with Disability Act of 2016 in its preamble clearly mentions that any discrimination against such individuals is to be avoided… and that access to transport should be ensured for persons with special needs.,” the letter stated.
Dr Alka Subramanyam, associate professor at the BYL Nair Hospital’s psychiatry department and the executive committee member of the PWD task force of the IPS said that the society should move towards inclusiveness, where the differently-abled are not denied any rights, opportunities, and experiences. “All sectors, including the aviation industry, do conduct sensitisation training but the need is to have periodic, re-training sessions where one can pick up updated knowledge,” she said.
Experts said that slightly unusual behaviour by differently-abled persons can often lead to isolation. “The Ranchi airport incident is not a one-off,” said Thane-based psychiatrist Dr Sanjay Kumavat, who is an advisor of the PWD task force. “People with disabilities are knowingly and unknowingly denied many rights in housing societies, workplaces, educational institutions, etc. Lack of awareness remains the main cause,” said Kumavat, adding that IPS plans to start dialogues with state commissioners for PWD and chart out training sessions for various public and private sectors. “I have already initiated a meeting with the commissioner in Maharashtra,” he said.