Tamil Nadu: Priority in Outpatient Services for People with Autism
Tamil Nadu: The Department of Public Health has advised that individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities should be accorded priority for outpatient treatment at hospitals.
The department has also directed officials to issue appropriate guidelines to both government and private hospitals in this regard. It has been noted that individuals in Tamil Nadu suffering from Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Learning Disabilities (LD) face certain difficulties in accessing medical treatment. Specifically, they are unable to wait in long queues—as is customary for the general public—while undergoing outpatient treatment.
In this context, an organization dedicated to working with the intellectually disabled (the Association for the Intellectually Disabled) had submitted several requests to the government. Subsequently, a plea was made to prioritize the provision of medical treatment for individuals suffering from autism, cerebral palsy, attention deficit disorder, congenital genetic defects, and multiple sclerosis.
Consequently, a government order has been issued stipulating that priority must be accorded to the outpatient treatment of such affected individuals, mirroring the priority given to emergency medical care. P. Senthilkumar, the Secretary of Public Health, issued this order. All government and private hospitals have been directed to adhere to this protocol. The order further mandates that the Directorate of Medical Education, the Directorate of Medical Services, the Department of Public Health, and the Indian Medical Association must issue specific instructions to hospitals regarding this matter.
