Deputy Commissioner K.A. Dayanand has directed the officials of Public Instruction and Health and Family Welfare departments to work with coordination to ensure access to education and healthcare facilities for children with special needs in the district. He was speaking at a meeting held here on Saturday to review the progress of the implementation of welfare scheme for such children. Shankarappa, Deputy Project Coordinator of Sarva Shikshana Abhiyan, told the meeting that according to The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, as many as 21 types of disabilities have been enlisted. In Shivamogga district, as many as 2,921 children in the 6 to 16 years age group have been identified to be suffering from these disabilities.
Mr. Dayanand said that health camps should be held regularly for children with special needs at the taluk level. Medical certificates confirming the disability should be issued for children to enable them to get the benefits of schemes launched by Central and State governments for their welfare, he said.
Regarding bringing such children to the mainstream, he said that welfare centres where assistance including physiotherapy and speech therapy is provided would be opened at taluk level. Workshops would be organised for the parents of children with special needs on providing education, training and healthcare for their wards.