logo
Include sunscreen on the essential medicine list: Doctors with disability write to WHO

Include sunscreen on the essential medicine list: Doctors with disability write to WHO

NEW DELHI: Often mocked as "Suraj-mukhi" (sun-facing) or "Angrez" (British) due to their pale skin tone, as many as two lakh Indians, including health professionals, suffering from Albinism - a rare genetic condition - face daily exposure to harmful UV radiation and social discrimination.
Taking up their cause, Doctors with Disabilities: Agents of Change, a body of health professionals with disabilities for social justice, has written to the 25th World Health Organisation (WHO) Expert Committee on the Selection and Use of Essential Medicines, to include sunscreen on the Essential Medicines List.
In the letter to the members of the expert committee, Dr Satendra Singh, the group's founder and a noted disability rights champion, said, 'We write to express our strong and wholehearted support for the inclusion of sunscreen on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, a matter to be discussed at your forthcoming 25th meeting in Geneva, from May 5 to 9.'
'Adopting this critical decision is not only a matter of public health - it is a climate justice and human rights imperative. Sunscreen is far more than a cosmetic product. It is a vital, life-saving medical intervention, particularly for persons with albinism, who face unique biological vulnerabilities to ultraviolet (UV) radiation,' Dr Singh, who is also a Director Professor of the Department of Physiology, University College of Medical Sciences and G.T.B Hospital, Delhi, said.
'This is especially critical in regions with high UV exposure, where individuals with albinism often lack access to affordable, adequate sun protection. The consequences are dire: disproportionately high rates of skin damage, disfigurement, and preventable mortality due to skin cancer,' the letter, dated April 20, said.
In India alone, over 200,000 individuals, including health professionals, live with albinism, a rare genetic condition caused by mutations or changes in certain genes that affect the amount of melanin the body produces. Melanin controls the pigmentation (colour) of the skin, eyes, and hair.
Highlighting that people suffering from Albinism are often subjected to social discrimination and harmful stereotypes due to their pale skin tone, the letter further said, 'Ironically, in a society where light skin is often idealised and dark skin is stigmatised, individuals with albinism still face prejudice, exclusion, and mockery, compounding their already fragile health condition.'
'Their experience highlights how social and structural discrimination exacerbates health inequities, especially in low-resource settings,' the letter said.
Dr Singh quoted the United Nations Independent Expert on the Enjoyment of Human Rights by Persons with Albinism 2023 report, which reaffirmed that sunscreen must be recognised and treated as an essential health product, not a luxury or cosmetic item.
'We echo that view and emphasise that the failure to provide equitable access to sunscreen is a manifestation of systemic health inequity affecting marginalised populations,' Dr Singh, who is also co-chair of the International Council for Disability Inclusion in Medical Education, said.
'Including sunscreen in the WHO Essential Medicines List would mark a historic and science-based step forward, affirming the Committee's commitment to inclusive, equitable, and rights-based global health policy. It would also signal leadership in addressing the intersections of disability, climate vulnerability, and access to care,' the letter added.
'We respectfully urge the Committee to seize this opportunity to protect lives, advance health equity, and uphold the rights and dignity of people with albinism and other vulnerable groups worldwide,' it added.
Dr Singh further emphasised that sunscreen is the shield and not a luxury but a necessity for people suffering from Albinism.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

In Delhi, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, educated middle-class put off childbirth
In Delhi, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, educated middle-class put off childbirth

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

In Delhi, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, educated middle-class put off childbirth

NEW DELHI: Even as India's fertility rate is declining, many people in India, especially women, still face significant barriers to making free and informed decisions about their reproductive lives, says the UN Population Fund's State of World Population Report released Tuesday. These barriers create what the report identified as India's "high fertility and low fertility duality". The fertility rate has come down from nearly five children per woman in 1970 to about two, courtesy improved education and access to reproductive healthcare. The TFR fell below the replacement level rate to 2.0 for the first time in the National Family Health Survey (2019-21). States such as Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh continue to experience high fertility rates. Here, unintended and closely spaced births are common due to poor contraceptive and health services, and gender norms, it said. On the other hand, states such as Delhi, Kerala and Tamil Nadu have sustained below-replacement fertility with many couples delaying or skipping childbirth due to costs and work-life conflict, especially among educated middle-class women. The report called for a shift from panic over falling fertility to addressing unmet reproductive goals as it highlighted that millions of individuals are not able to realise their real fertility goals. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 3/4 BHK from ₹ 1.68 Crore*, Bengaluru Birla Estates Learn More Undo "This is the real crisis, not underpopulation or overpopulation. The answer lies in greater reproductive agency - a person's ability to make free and informed choices about sex, contraception and starting a family," it said. In line with these trends, a UNFPA-YouGov survey of 14,000 respondents across14 countries, including India, challenged global narratives around "population explosion vs population collapse" as it showed that one in three adult Indians (36%) face unintended pregnancies while 30% experience unfulfilled desire of having either more or fewer children. Notably, 23% faced both. Financial limitation is one of the biggest barriers to reproductive freedom with nearly four in 10 people citing it as a reason stopping them from having the families they want. Job insecurity (21%), housing constraints (22%), and lack of reliable childcare (18%) are making parenthood feel out of reach.

Want better mental health? Get a pet
Want better mental health? Get a pet

Time of India

time8 hours ago

  • Time of India

Want better mental health? Get a pet

Chennai: Having a pet helps boost mental health, cuts down screen time, improves sleep and reduces anxiety. Indian pet parents have recorded some of the highest rankings in all these categories in a just released global survey. According to a survey by MNC petcare company Mars and mental health firm Calm, Indian pet parents ranked among the highest globally when it came to screen-time reduction (92% compared to around 74% globally), taking regular breaks from work (93% as compared to 77% globally) and feeling more relaxed by talking to their pet (82% as compared to 77% globally). Indian pet parents also ranked highest in improved sleep quality (79% compared to 55% in the US and 43% in the UK) and 88% of Indian pet owners said that their pets help reduce overthinking — significantly higher than most Western markets. Also 76% Indian pet parents reported they feel more present and mindful because of their pets. Said Salil Murthy, MD, Mars Petcare India, 'According to this survey, 82% of pet parents globally said that talking to their pet helps them feel more relaxed while 81% pet parents globally feel calmer when their pet settles beside them. Also 76% of those surveyed said their pet encourages them to stop overthinking while 75% are more likely to go outdoors, and 74% spend less time on social media due to their pet's influence. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo These are not just statistics — they reflect a transformative, under-recognized role pets play in our lives.' In fact, 79% of Indian pet owners said that their pet positively impacts their mental wellbeing. In fact, 88% Indians said pets help reduce anxiety or overthinking, offering presence without pressure and 69% said their pet has improved their social life. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now

Gaza's Al-Amal hospital 'virtually out of service': WHO
Gaza's Al-Amal hospital 'virtually out of service': WHO

Time of India

time8 hours ago

  • Time of India

Gaza's Al-Amal hospital 'virtually out of service': WHO

Geneva: The Al-Amal Hospital in Gaza, one of the few still operating in the Palestinian territory, is now "virtually out of service" due to intense military activity, the head of the WHO said Monday. "Access to the hospital is obstructed, preventing new patients from reaching care, and leading to more preventable deaths," the World Health Organization's director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus posted on X. Tedros said two emergency medical teams - one local, the other international - "are still doing their best to serve the remaining patients with the limited medical supplies left on the premises." "With the closure of Al-Amal, Nasser Medical Complex is now the only remaining hospital with an intensive care unit in Khan Younis," he said. The WHO said June 5 that al-Nasser and Al-Amal hospitals were unable to fully treat the wounded that continue to pour in because of serious shortages of medicines and medical supplies after two months of total blockade. Israeli authorities have recently allowed in some humanitarian aid, but way less than what is needed. Nearly 20 months of relentless war, triggered by Hamas' October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, has created one of the most serious humanitarian crises in the world, with civilians exhausted by bombardments, forced displacement and hunger.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store