VISAKHAPATNAM: An accident left Mohammad Javed with an irreparable spinal cord injury that left him in a wheelchair for life. If the first responders had been careful, Javed of Chennai would have been as agile and active as any other 39-year-old. Ten years after the accident, Javed has now embarked on a self-driven cross-country tour to spread awareness on spinal cord injuries and first responder care.
Speaking to TNIE, Javed said he launched his campaign, “MJ on Wheels,” on March 8, coinciding with the International Women’s Day. His plan is to visit all the 28 States, and three Union Territories.
“The accident on January 11, 2011, changed my life,” Javed said. “The situation would have been different if the first responders knew how to handle an accident victim.”
Javed was initially depressed that the injury had made him incapable of chasing his dreams. But later he realised that disability was more of a mindset rather than a physical challenge. He also realised that being confined to a wheelchair won’t restrict one from chasing his passion.
The realisation made Javed determined to set an example for many like him all over the world. After setting off from Chennai, he reached Visakhapatnam via Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. His next stop is Bhubaneswar, from where he will proceed to Manipur. Employed with a corporate firm, Javed has so far covered 4,000 km. “On an average, I cover 400 km in seven to eight hours a day,” he said.
Road accidents are the major cause for spinal cord injuries. As many as 1.2 lakh die and another 12 lakh are seriously injured in accidents in the country. The figures are mounting each year. The average age of a person with spinal cord injuries is 31. India has 1.5 million people with spine cord injuries with approximately 20,000 people are being added each year.
The Ability People and the Spinal Foundation, in association with the Department of Orthopaedic and Neurosurgery of King George Hospital and Andhra Medical College, welcomed Javed to the city. Addressing the gathering, Superintendent of Police B Krishna Rao asserted the importance of road safety measures to prevent accidents, head and spinal injuries and congratulated Javed for taking up a pan-India awareness initiative.
KGH Superintendent P Mythili stressed on inter-departmental coordination among police, civil society and hospital for post-trauma rehabilitation of the injured persons in road accidents. KGH orthopaedician Lokanath said a proposal has been submitted to the health department for establishing a rehabilitation centre in Vizag. Founder of the The Ability People Dilip Patro, president of Primary Healthcare Foundation Manisha Palaskar and others were present.