Pune: Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Education Department (Primary), Pune Municipal Corporation has organised a special two-day camp for the disabled children in the age-group of 0-18.
In the camp, the students will disabilities like visual impairment, polio, cerebral palsy, leprosy, dwarfism, muscular dystrophy, bone deformity, etc will be checked for their physical or mental disabilities, to provide them with assistive devices and aids or treatment. All students studying in government, government-aided and private schools in the city could take the benefit of this initiative.
Speaking about the initiative, Shrikant Hingane, the coordinator of the camp, said, “Such camps have been held since around 2007-08 and we have been receiving a great response from the students for the same. The students coming to the camp are checked by doctors from civil hospitals.
Then, according to their disability, the assistive aid that is to be be provided to them is decided upon by the doctors and the prosthetic engineer present at the camp takes their measurements.
If required, some are also suggested surgery.”
Tricycle, wheelchair, crutches, modified chair, smart cane, brail kit, calipers, splints, daisy players are some of the devices provided to the disabled students by the government, free of cost.
The number of students coming for the camp is however decreasing. “Earlier, when the initiative started, we had more than 400 students coming to the camps. Now, the number much lesser. However, this is not really a negative sign. People are more aware of the disabilities now. Also, in the cities, people also get help from the CSR wings of several corporates.
So, the people coming to government is bound to reduce,” Hingane added. The workshop will also be held on Tuesday, September 12, from 9 am to 5 pm. To avail the benefits, the students need to carry their birth certificate or school bonafide certificate, and disability certificate, and two passport size photos in which their disability is visible.
Students to be checked
In the camp, the students with disabilities like visual impairment, polio, cerebral palsy, etc will be interacted with and checked for their physical or mental disabilities, to provide them with assistive devices and aids, or treatment. All students studying in government, government-aided and private schools in the city could take the benefit of this initiative.
