BHUBANESWAR: The State government has planned to conduct a comprehensive survey of children with disabilities with an objective to initiate timely interventions for their rehabilitation and mainstreaming so that they can lead a normal life.
The survey will be conducted by the Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) department in collaboration with Women and Child Development and Mission Shakti department. Anganwadi workers and ICDS supervisors will be engaged for identification of the children aged up to six years and with disabilities.
Secretary of SSEPD department Bhaskar Jyoti Sarma said around 70 per cent of disabilities is preventable if detected and treated at an early stage. “Initially, we will conduct the survey to identify the children with disabilities so that they can be provided treatment at the right time,” he said.
After the survey, Sarma said a system will be put in place to identify such cases at the time of birth as part of the mandate given under Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016. As per the decision, anganwadi workers will monitor incidents of birth of children with disability in their area of operation and report to their supervisors.
The block officials will compile the data and submit to the department. Usually, persons with disabilities are identified once they apply for education, job or pension. But there is no system in place to identify children below six years. Most of them have hearing disability or orthopedic impairment, which are preventable if treated at the right age.