Rehabilitation of Disabled Children
(RDC)(0-6 yrs) in Maharashtra
Funding Agency:IMPACT Foundation, UK
Theme of IMPACT/RDC Programme:
ACTION TODAY
PREVENTS DISABILITY TOMORROW
Background:
The partnership between IMPACT, UK and KEMHRC, Pune can be traced as far back as 1990. The Late Sir John Wilson's
vision of trying to prevent disability in children by employing the concept of inter sectoral collaboration and
co-operation was very well received by our own visionaries - the Late Dr. Banoo Coyaji, Founder Chairperson and
the Late Dr. V. N. Rao, our first Research Director.
An integrated project on prevention, early detection and treatment of childhood disabilities was launched as
an ICMR -WHO project from 01 March 1990, for a 2-year period. Khadkala and Adle Block PHC areas were covered.
Besides the project activities, in order to create interest in the local population, essay competitions in Marathi,
for students and schoolteachers, were organised on selected and popular themes related to the project.
This was followed by a 5-year study (1994-1999) in Rural Pune District. Its basic objective was to develop a
feasible model for replication. Schoolteachers were first given a one-day orientation. They then screened children
in the 0-14 years age group for disability, which was later on confirmed by physicians. They were given "on the
spot" treatment or referred to a tertiary hospital for rehabilitation / surgery. Once the initial hurdles were
overcome, work progressed smoothly, with 70% of the identified disabled children availing the rehabilitation
facilities.
Objectives:
a:]To identify disabled children (0-6yrs) from
the project area and to make efforts to
rehabilitate them by tapping resources
from the government, NGOs, voluntary
agencies and community.
b:]To create awareness about causative
factors of disabilities and motivation for
prevention of disabilities in the community.
c:]Offer needy children surgical intervention and aids & appliances through Govt., Nodal
NGOs, KEMHRC RDC Project and community at affordable rates or 50 % concession.
d:]To work as a facilitator for strengthening the universal immunization programme (UIP)
incorporating rubella & other essential vaccines.
Methodology :
Involving the supervisory staff of ICDS (Bal Kalyan) and health department the District Coordinators were able
to serve children in the 0-6 years age group. Children with disabilities (D/D) were taken to the Primary Health
Centre, where the medical officers confirmed the disabilities and gave on the spot treatment for minor ailments.
Those who required expert opinion were referred to specialists. The need assessment of all referred disabled
children has been completed in all the twelve districts & same procedure also starts in third phase districts.
Project staff followed the disabled children for their availment, surgical intervention or aids & appliances,
motivating the government machinery, NRHM, NGOs, Voluntary agencies and community.
Action Plan:
InterSectoral Coordination
Operationalization:
The staff consisted of six District Coordinators, and a senior Research Officer besides the Principal
Investigator.
One day training was arranged for the project staff detailing the process of identification of Eye,
ENT & physical disabilities, by experts in the respective faculty.
The Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of eighteen zilla parishads were approached, explaining the necessity of
early intervention for rehabilitation of the younger generation.
They were requested to convene a coordination meeting of block level ICDS (BalKalyan) officers along with
supervisory staff and heads of the departments of zilla parishad (HODs). NRHM Programme Officer, Civil Surgeons
and few NGOs were also invited. The objective and responsibility of each department was defined by the CEO.
This made it easy to coordinate the participation of various departments in project activities.
In all the eighteen districts, in order to improve the skill of Anganwadi workers (AWW) in screening the
children for detection of disabilities, one day training was arranged with the participation of Medical Officers
of Primary Health Centres. Dy.CEO, ICDS gave consent for training and organised training sessions at block level.
Child Development Project Officer (CDPO), ACDPO and Supervisors of Balkalyan also participated in the training
programme. District Coordinators and supervisory staff of Balkalyan supervised the screening of children and
took due care to complete it in the scheduled time frame.
Children detected with disabilities (D/D) were taken to Primary Health Centres where Medical Officers
confirmed the disabilities and tried to treat them on the spot along with parent's counselling. Others were
referred to experts for their need assessment- experts at District hospital, NGOs and voluntary agencies within
the district. The staff of ICDS dept. were responsible to bring the disabled children at camp site along with
their parents. The need assessment of all referred disabled children is over in all the twelve districts. Now
project and supervisory staff of ICDS with the help of CDPO and BDO (Block Development Officer) are taking
disabled children to the identified nodal agencies for surgeries or supply of aids and appliances for
rehabilitation. Recently the CEOs Zilla Parishad have given consent to extend all the necessary facilities to
disabled children between 0-6yrs from the budget of SSA (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan). IMPACT, UK, has set aside
certain funds to sponsor part of the surgical expenses.
The project staff is actively involved in prevention of childhood disabilities through awareness programmes
being arranged for teen aged girls and women, organising rubella vaccination camps by motivating social service
agencies, promoting kitchen gardens essay competition for ICDS Supervisors etc.