Extracted Insight

  • On World Multiple Sclerosis Day 2026, a National Policy Dialogue organized by MSSI (Delhi Chapter) together with Believe in the Invisible (BITI) and the Politics & Disability Forum adopted a landmark 10‑point Declaration on Invisible Disabilities and Gender.
  • The dialogue convened Members of Parliament, policymakers, neurologists, disability‑rights advocates, insurance stakeholders, and persons living with MS to discuss reforms across disability certification, healthcare access, insurance inclusion, workplace policies, and national health systems.
  • Multiple Sclerosis affects an estimated 150,000‑200,000 individuals in India, many facing delayed diagnosis, insurance barriers, and high out‑of‑pocket costs.
  • Key speakers included MP Menaka Guruswamy (Rajya Sabha), Dr R.K. Dhamija (Director, IHBAS; Chair, NITI Aayog Brain Health Initiative), Dr Satendra Singh (Professor, University College of Medical Sciences), PwMS Charu Sharma, and MSSI Treasurer Renuka Malaker.
  • The 10‑point Declaration recommends:

1. Recognition guidelines for invisible and episodic disabilities under the RPwD Act, 2016.

2. Flexible disability certification for fluctuating conditions.

3. Inclusion of MS and other chronic neurological conditions in National Health Mission care pathways.

4. Expansion of the Indian MS Registry Network (IMSRN) into a broader national invisible‑disability registry.

5. Affordable access to disease‑modifying therapies and long‑term neurological care.

6. Expanded tele‑neurology services nationwide.

7. Gender‑sensitive diagnosis and treatment pathways.

8. Stronger digital monitoring of disability‑rights implementation.

9. Inclusive workplace policies for invisible disabilities.

10. Establishment of a National Mission on Invisible Disabilities.

  • Dr Dhamija emphasized that MS is a priority within the Government’s Brain Health Initiative and that the recommendations will feed into ongoing national policy discussions to improve accessibility, affordability, and disability benefits.
  • The declaration seeks to align the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 with practical implementation for invisible neurological conditions, enhancing social protection, employment opportunities, and health outcomes.