A CSR initiative towards helping children with speech and hearing disability, ‘Sparsh: a healing touch’ was inaugurated here the other day. In association with the National Institute of Speech and Hearing (NISH), Indian Medical Association, Cochin and Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP), the programme was initiated by Impressario Event Management India Ltd.
Dr Sachidananda Kamath, IAP state president, was the chief guest.
Sparsh, a 5-day residential workshop, will continue till Friday.
The initiative targets children aged 5-10 years and will be restricted to 25 families to provide personalised attention. The workshop aims at training the kids and families to face their daily challenges owing to the disabilities.
This is the first of its kind initiative in the state which has brought both parents and special children on a common platform in the form of a residential camp where they can get the assistance of medical experts and trainers.
Dr Samuel N Mathew, executive director of NISH, and Dr M Narayanan, vice-president, IMA Cochin, too have played a major role in the initiative.