Mysuru: “It is not children, but mothers who need maximum support in the disability sector as far as rehabilitation is concerned,” said commissioner for
Persons With Disabilities in Karnataka VS Basavaraju here on Thursday.
Basavaraju, who inaugurated the 53rd annual day celebrations at the
All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH), called mothers the voice of rehabilitation of people with disabilities. “Unless we do not equip mothers, and support them, they will continue to suffer. Under the Government of India’s Rashtriya Bal Swastya Karyakram (RBSK), while the screening process of individuals with
disabilities is under way, children have not been able to access services. This is a critical gap. We are failing to provide advice to parents about where to send their kids, and the kind of support they require. Institutes such as
AIISH must use their model projects in these areas, and demonstrate it for the next two years. There are enough resources, and the technology and environment are conducive. Technology must reach the last person, even in a village or a slum,” he said.
Emphasising the need to formulate a programme that aims to reach the maximum number of people with disabilities in India, Basavaraju said, “The law is based on equity and justice. As a society, we have to ensure equitable distribution of resources to disabled individuals, and justice. In Karnataka, we are not short of human, financial and infrastructural resources. To ensure that technology that will aid the
physically challenged reaches all parts of the state, institutes like AIISH must collaborate with local medical colleges and NGOs to provide assistance to the needy.”
Director general of the Administrative Training Institute, Mysuru Kapil Mohan said, “The ‘New Born Screening Card’ must perform the role of an immunisation card, which should reach the entire population and not just the high-risk portion.”
Highlighting the need for ushering in a fundamental change in the new-born screening processes, Mohan added, “We should have universal testing for disabilities. We have seen huge advancements in technology – in micro-electrical, nano and digital, which are reflected in curative medicine and diagnosis. But the challenge facing new technologies is their nascence, and the price. These technological instruments should be made affordable, and people must be trained to use them.”
Pointing out that it was the ability to communicate that set human beings apart from the rest of the animal kingdom, Mohan said that, until recently, there was treatment for hearing disabilities. “When a survey report indicated that 2.54% of the population of Mysuru, Chamarajanagar and Mandya suffered from a hearing disability, it came as a shock to us. The research conducted by AIISH should reach a larger population,” Mohan added.
Prof. N Sreedevi, and AIISH director SR Savithri were present on the occasion.
New born screening centres in Lucknow, Bhagalpur
The ‘New Born Screening Card’, which is meant to help parents get their infants screened for disabilities in the early stages, was released at AIISH to commemorate its 53rd annual day. New born screening centres at King George’s Medical University, Lucknow and Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College of Bhagalpur were launched via video conference.
Report on communication disorders released
Commissioner for Persons With Disabilities in Karnataka VS Basavaraju on Thursday released the report of the survey on communication disorders undertaken by AIISH from 2012-14. The survey spanned Mysuru, Chamarajanagar and Mandya districts. As many as 312 Asha workers were recruited, and subsequently trained for the survey.
