The policymakers, healthcare experts, disability rights advocates, insurance stakeholders and persons living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) have endorsed a landmark 10-point Declaration on Invisible Disabilities and Gender during a National Policy Dialogue held on the occasion of World MS Day 2026.

Organised by the Multiple Sclerosis Society of India (MSSI), Delhi Chapter, in association with Believe in the Invisible (BITI) and the Politics & Disability Forum at the India International Centre, the dialogue was held under the theme, “Shaping Policy. Advancing Access. Improving Lives.”

The policy dialogue brought together representatives from government, healthcare, disability rights, insurance, academia, patient advocacy and public health to discuss systemic reforms needed across healthcare access, disability rights, insurance inclusion and long-term neurological care. 

Multiple Sclerosis, a chronic and progressive neurological condition affecting an estimated 1.5–2 lakh people in India, remains one of the country's most overlooked invisible disabilities.

Menaka Guruswamy, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, said, “This National Policy Dialogue is an important step in deepening our understanding of Multiple Sclerosis and the realities of living with invisible disabilities. It provides a valuable platform for policymakers to learn directly from clinicians, persons living with MS, caregivers and advocates about the spectrum of challenges they navigate every day.”

Dr. R.K. Dhamija, Distinguished Neurologist, Director, IHBAS, and Chair, National Task Force, NITI Aayog Brain Health Initiative, said, “Multiple Sclerosis is a complex, unpredictable and lifelong neurological condition that requires early diagnosis, timely intervention and sustained access to advanced therapies. Investing in neurological care is not merely a healthcare expenditure, it is an economic imperative that helps prevent irreversible disability, reduces long-term care costs and enables people to remain active and productive.”

Dr. Satendra Singh, Professor of Physiology at University College of Medical Sciences & GTB Hospital, said, “The next step is ensuring that healthcare, disability, welfare and social protection systems work in greater alignment to translate these rights into meaningful outcomes for persons living with invisible and episodic conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis.” 

Renuka Malaker, Honorary National Treasurer of MSSI and caregiver to a person living with MS, said, “We hope the Declaration serves as a catalyst for stronger insurance inclusion, better access to support systems and a more robust national understanding of the true burden of MS in India.”