Recently, the Delhi Government issued a notification prohibiting anyone from sharing any information on mucormycosis without the prior permission of the Government. IFF has sent the Government a legal notice urging it to rescind this overbroad order.
India is in a crisis. As people across the country battle the second wave of COVID-19, ensuring equitable, fast and easy access to healthcare, medicines and the vaccines is critical. The undersigned organizations and persons call on the Central Government, State Governments, Health Secretaries of the Union and the States, and the District Magistrates to ensure that the vaccination process focuses on increasing reach and accessibility, that there are no onerous ID requirements, including Aadhaar, for access to health services or vaccinations, and that health data is not misused....
We wrote to the National Health Authority seeking enactment of general and sectoral data protection laws and meaningful public consultation prior to deployment of any national digital health ID programme.
Post Delhi HC hearing, a follow up representation was sent by the petitioner highlighting continuing violation of statutory obligations and urging the government to re-calculate deadline for submission of feedback after implementing recommended changes.
The petition heard by the Delhi HC raised concerns about the unreasonably short deadline for submission of feedback at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and highlighted how the existing process excludes persons with disabilities, non-English speakers and people without internet access.