Residential rehab centre for kids a boon

NAGPUR: Former President of India Ram Nath Kovind said that many people in India still believe that children with disability are born as an outcome of their previous birth’s sins. “We must come out of such fallacy and bring ‘Divyang’ children into the mainstream by treating, training and rehabilitating them,” said Kovind, who inaugurated India’s first of its kind residential rehab centre for children with disabilities on Sunday.
The centre, Institute of neurosciences, paediatric orthopaedic illnesses rehabilitation and education (INSPIRE), was established by Nagai Narayanji Memorial Foundation (NNMF), a non-profit organization headed by paediatric orthopaedic surgeon Dr Viraj Shingade and his family.
Dr Shingade is known for treating more than 15,000 kids with locomotor disability and performing free surgeries on 3,500-odd children. He also provides post-surgery physiotherapy and rehabilitation services free to children from poor families, tribal and remote areas of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Telangana. Kovind said that such centres are important for India.
“I have been told that children can stay along with their parents at this centre and that the latter can learn the home physiotherapy technique. This is like providing permanent solution to these children,” said Kovind.
The former president said that he had given a commitment to Dr Shingade to inaugurate this centre in 2020 when he was president. “When I heard about this concept, I decided to inaugurate this centre. I wish it happened when I was still the President because this initiative is one-of-its-kind and deserves nationwide publicity,” said Kovind.
Earlier, Kovind inaugurated the INSPIRE building, centres for physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and psychological counselling. He also interacted with the first batch of children who will be staying here from Monday onwards. An accessibility creation park, a specially designed recreational park with barrier-free environment, accessible rides and a sensory garden were also formally dedicated to people.
Dr Shingade said that they will soon establish a hospital in the premises. “In the second phase, we will be having a full-fledged hospital here. There will be an auditorium, a centre for yoga, meditation, remedial education and vocational training. We will cater to the needs of disabled children all under one roof,” he said.
Former Rajya Sabha MP and veteran ophthalmologist Dr Vikas Mahatme, director of VNIT Pramod Padole, NNMF’s Dr V R Lohkare, Ratnadevi Shingade, Dr Rashmi Shingade and others were present. The NNMF felicitated senior doctors, medical teachers, paramedical staff, special educators, journalists and philanthropists who contributed for this mega project.