Training on Strengthening and Updating Professional Skills in Disability Rehabilitation begins

ANUSHA GURUNG
GANGTOK, 12 Mar:  Five-day training on Strengthening and Updating Professional Skills in the Field of Disability Rehabilitation began today at the Forest Secretariat conference hall. The training is being organized by Health Care, Human Services and Family Welfare Department and is sponsored by National Institute of Mentally Handicapped [NIHM], Secunderabad.
General secretary, Spastics Society of Sikkim, BP Dhakal in his address, said that instead of ignoring the differently abled we should take special care of them.  Government of Sikkim has established a disability cell which is formed for the implementation of Laws related to the differently abled, he mentioned.
Faculty in special education [NIHM], Usha Grover in her address said that we should first start treating the disabled like human beings. The objective of this programme is to sensitize the society towards disability, the role of the society towards the disabled and equal treatment of the disabled, she mentioned.
“We will soon be talking to the regular teachers as well as SSA teachers about inclusion like how people with disabilities are enrolled in the classroom from day one. We will also talk about interdisciplinary approach to deal with the disabled.”, said Ms Grover.
Lecturer in clinical psychology, Mr Krishna said that mental retardation is not a tragedy nor a punishment. In fact, persons with mental retardation will have some special qualities which a normal person does not have, he added. He further highlighted the major causes of disability and positive points of a disabled person.
“Don’t curse the roses because it has thorns, instead be happy that thorns have roses”, Mr Krishna said on looking at disabilities positively.
Secretary Health Department, Dr K Bhandari who was present as chief guest said that the main objective of this programme is to empower people with necessary information and knowledge about our duties and rights of persons with disabilities as envisaged in Persons With Disabilities [PWD] rules 2001, Right to Education Act 2011, and the United Nations Convention on Right of Persons with Disability [UNCRPD] 2008. Mentioning that more than 50% of  disabilities are preventable he said that the NRHM programme of the department is working relentlessly to cover all pregnant mothers to ensure safe delivery and prevent birth related disabilities, like mental retardation, multiple disabilities, hearing and speech impairment and visual impairment.
The First Referral Units [FRU] are established in three districts of Sikkim to prevent intra -partum and neonatal causes of disabilities, he informed.  The department of HC, HS and FW is functioning with sincerity and sensitivity to implement section 25 of the PWD Act 1995 by constituting district-level disability screening boards for all the four districts and the state level disability screening board at STNM hospital which are responsible for conducting periodic disability screening by the experts in this field in collaboration with the department of Social Justice, Empowerment and Welfare to issue disability certificates, informed Dr Bhandari .
The Secretary further mentioned that the Government of Sikkim has constituted a Disability Cell under the Health department headed by a Disability Consultant who is assisted by Disability Nodal Officer and the supporting staff.