Government renews focus on polio eradication after VDPV case : New Delhi

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has set up an expert group to work out a strategy to ensure eradication of wild poliovirus and minimise the risk of emergence and circulation of Vaccine-Derived Polio Virus (VDPV) in the country.

The government is also working in coordination with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative on polio end-game strategy, a statement issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said here on Monday.

This comes after an 11-month old immune-deficient boy in Dharur block of Beed district in Maharashtra died on Sunday after being afflicted with VDPV.

VDPVs are extremely rare and detected in children with immunodeficiency or in populations with low levels of immunisation. They are different from wild polioviruses and India has not reported any case of wild poliovirus since January 2011.

In India, 741 children were paralysed due to the wild poliovirus in 2009, accounting for over half of the global polio cases against this backdrop, India’s success in keeping children free from any wild poliovirus for the last more than two years is being globally acclaimed as a major public health achievement. WHO removed India from the list of polio endemic countries in 2012 following one year without any case due to wild poliovirus in the country. Having completed more than two years without the wild poliovirus, India has moved closer to a polio-free certification in early 2014.

“The government and the States have been focusing on intensifying routine immunisation to minimise the risk of VDPVs. The response is consistent with the global strategy. The most important strategy for prevention of emergence of VDPVs is achieving and maintaining high routine immunisation coverage with OPV [oral polio vaccine] doses among infants,” Union Health and Family Welfare Secretary Keshav Desiraju said in the statement.

To achieve higher routine immunisation rates and protect children against all vaccine preventable diseases, the government declared 2012-13 as the ‘Year of Intensification of Routine Immunisation’.

This year, the government has planned four ‘Special Immunisation Weeks’ in the 4,11,129 high risk areas identified by the polio eradication programme. These areas comprise slums, nomadic sites, construction sites, brick kilns and other areas housing people on the move, who often miss out on immunisation due to their transient nature.

These special immunisation weeks in April, June, July and August are aimed at protecting the vulnerable populations with all vaccines available under routine immunisation, including OPV. Of the 4,11,129 high risk areas, 82,965 are in Maharashtra.

WHO representative Nata Menabde said, “India’s polio surveillance programme is geared to detect VDPVs as part of the AFP surveillance system supported by the World Health Organisation.” Detection of VDPVs will not impact the polio eradication certification process.



Source : The Hindu , 26th June 2013

The light of knowledge

Reading books is something that sh­ould not be re­str­icted to only people bo­rn with the gift of sight.

The visually challenged too need books for education, to be aware of developments and to earn themselves a place in society.


Faith India, an NGO with its office at Vennikulam in Ern­akulam, which has for the last 25 years been working to train physically challenged to improve their quality of life and integrate them into mainstream society. The NGO has recently translated literary books like the ‘Ramayana’, ‘Bh­agwad Geetha’, ‘Pancha­ta­ntra’, some of the ‘Vedas’, Sr­ee Narayana Guru’s works and the ‘Upanishad’s into Br­ai­lle for the visually challenged people.


Talking about this, Ambu­jaksham, library in-charge says, “We don’t have too many books for the blind, either in colleges or outside of it! Hence, we decided to translate some of the famous books into Braille to make the books accessible to the visually challenged.”


Five blind students themselves have co-incidentally translated the books into Braille. The long and arduous project, was fraught with problems for the blind students. Braille script is a system of raised dots on either a paper or a surface. Hence the requirements were of special Braille paper and typewriters and a Brailler. Although a Brailler does make work faster, the availability of only one machine necessitated the rest of the work to be done manually, a slow and time-consuming process. 


Ambujaksham says that the centre has plans to set up a big library and although only a single copy of the translated Braille book is currently available, the demand for the books is overwhelming. He adds, “Translating books into Braille has also provided job opportunities to a lot of visually challenged people.” The program director Prof Chan­drasekhar adds, “The size of the paper is what adds to the time factor. For a normal page of an A4 size paper to be transcribed to Braille takes six Braille papers. The volume of Ram­ayana that had 19 volumes took nearly a year to be transcribed. We are aiming to throw open the doors of the cla­ssics and the world of historical books to the visually challenged people.”


The Professor has a wish though, “I wish we had a digital Braille printing press which would give us a huge me­chanical advantage but the cost of the same is 3-4 lakh which at the moment is out of bounds for us.”

Source : Deccan Chronicle , 25th June 2013

Efforts on to fill vacancies meant for disabled persons: Hooda

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today said efforts are being made to fill up vacancies meant for disabled persons in various departments of the state government.

Speaking at a function on Helen Keller Jayanti Samaroh organised by the National Handicapped Welfare Council, Haryana unit here Hooda announced Rs 21 lakh from his discretionary fund for setting up of a Physiotherapy Centre in the complex of the Council to be named after Helen Keller.

Hooda said the state government has increased the retirement age of disabled persons having not less than 70 per cent disability, from 58 to 60 years.

Also, a relaxation of more than 10 years in age has also been given to such people in government jobs, he said.

Describing Helen Keller as a source of inspiration for people, Hooda said despite being blind, deaf and dumb she emerged as a noted writer, lecturer and political activist.

She was honoured with the highest civilian honour of America in 1964. By transforming her physical weaknesses into her strength, she set an example for the world to ameliorate, Hooda added.

The Chief Minister said a disabled person whether physically or mentally, is an important part of the society similar to other human beings.

Unemployed youth having hundred per cent disability were given monthly scholarship of Rs 1,000 whereas, Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,000 were given to graduate and post graduate students respectively, he said.

Monthly scholarship ranging from Rs 400 to Rs 800 was also given to disabled students on the basis of their classes and disability.


Source : Business Standard Via PTI , Panchkula ; 26th June 2013

Lack of facilities keeps differently abled away from Coimbatore's educational institutions : Coimbatore

Focus on use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), to ensure differently abled lead an inclusive life, has stolen the attention from the real difficulties they face from the physical barriers. This is significant from the representations they have time and again made demanding a barrier-free environment.

While, most differently abled have easy use of audio-visual aids, equipment, computers and softwares to assist them, what remains elusive is the physical access to various places by virtue of these not being disabled-friendly. This is in terms of absence of ramps, lifts to accommodate wheel chairs, modified washrooms, etc. This becomes critical when these places are schools / colleges / universities.

This year, only a few higher education institutions have been able to admit students under the three per cent quota for the differently abled. Out of these, only a handful of colleges have admitted students in double digits. And, this is not because those with disability are not interested in pursuing higher, but because the institutions do not provide an environment conducive to them.

Even those who choose to pursue higher education are those with lesser percentage of disability.

Persons with disability of 70 per cent and above, and others who are confined to wheel chairs do not prefer to go to colleges because the infrastructure is not suited to their condition.

Though there is an Act – The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 – to ensure equal opportunities, higher education still remains a distant dream.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has schemes to provide grants for creating facilities in colleges that are 2 (f) and 12 (B) approved, and universities, but since the institutions do not take interest in applying for these, the schemes go unused.

But the recent State Government Order Ms. No. 21 (Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Rules 2013 of February 1, 2013), the implementation of which comes with a time frame of 180 days, has brought some hope. The G.O. calls for making public and multi-storeyed buildings disabled-friendly in six months.

R. Rajendran, Principal of PSG College of Arts and Science, says, “The college has used the grant from UGC under the XI Fiver Year Plan, along with its own funds, to make existing buildings disabled friendly. Work is going on in phases to put up ramps, modify washrooms, etc. Some washrooms are already in use.”

More than 90 differently abled applied here for UG admission and the college admitted nearly 40 students based on eligibility and three per cent quota.

Visually challenged, and those who are hearing and speech impaired prefer to go to institutions that are exclusive for persons like them. However, there are only special schools and not colleges to accommodate them.

Nevertheless, Nithya Ramachandran, Deputy Joint Director, Sankara College of Arts and Science, says the college admits those with hearing and speech impairment.

“Special infrastructure, aids and faculty have been arranged to cater to these students. It requires special effort to provide them with an atmosphere that is conducive to study,” she says.

On colleges constructing infrastructure suited to the differently-abled, Ms. Ramachandran says that self-financing colleges do not get any provision from any source for taking up such activities.

Though the UGC provides grants, these are restricted only to colleges that have been approved under Sections 2 (f) and 12 (B) and not those recognised under Section 2 (l), which are not declared fit to receive central assistance.

Source : The Hindu , 27th June 2013

Animal therapy works wonders for autistic kids : Mumbai

(Animal therapy works wonders…)

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Here's how one-year-old labrador Simbaa helps eight-year-old Jiyon Ganguly cope with autism.

Eleven months after he was born, Jiyon Ganguly's mother Parama Bhattacharya was overjoyed to see him stand up and walk by himself at an age most kids do. That he hadn't picked up lingual skills didn't worry Bhattacharya initially. The 38-year-old single mother enrolled three-year-old Jiyon at a playschool in Kandivili (E), close to their home.

The feedback from Jiyon's teachers, however, was not encouraging. Bhattacharya, a media professional, was told that her son found it difficult to pay attention to what was going on in class. He'd avoid eye contact with playmates, mutter instead of talk and remain caught up in his own thoughts. That the other kids laughed when Jiyon got scared of loud noises — the school bell — didn't help. Within months, the playgroup's principal called Bhattacharya and suggested Jiyon be examined by a doctor.


Struck by autism

A behavioural expert from the Andheribased organisation Drishti Centre diagnosed Jiyon with autism. A second opinion by Dr Vibha Krishnamurthy, founder and medical director of Ummeed, a non-profit in Delhi set up to help children with developmental disabilities, confirmed autism.


Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that manifests in children by the age of three. It affects communication, socialisation, cognition, imagination and intuitive thought, and severely inhibits a child's repertoire of interests and social interaction. The degree varies from mild to severe and is, thus, known as Autism Spectrum Disorder. At the lower end it is known as Classic Autism and at the upper end it is called Asperger Syndrome. Jiyon was diagnosed with High-Functioning Autism, in which the patient's motor skills remain fine but language skills are inhibited. Jiyon could walk, run and cycle.


He disliked being smirked at or being told 'NO'. He would have trouble understanding what another person felt. Peers and teachers said he would often walk out of conversations.


Bhattacharya says, "Jiyon would get aggressive when he didn't get what he wanted. If children were playing at the swing, he wouldn't know how to wait for his turn. He would get angry and would get into trouble."


Discovering hope

With the extended family living in Kolkata, there was almost no one who could help Bhattacharya take care of Jiyon. Few wanted to make an effort. She shifted him to a school for the differently-abled where he received the focussed attention of one teacher.


There were days when he would run about their home breaking things, sulk, play in front of the mirror, wet the floor without communicating his need to urinate, and mutter through the day.


Bhattacharya had a five-day work week, which would extend to six days on most. She'd spend most of it worrying about how her son was faring at home. "I'd sit up nights and weep. I didn't know how to cope," she admits. Often, she'd clam up, leaving him miserable and aggressive. Medication and therapy did not lead to remarkable improvement. In July 2012, Bhattacharya decided to take a sabbatical from work to find a long-term solution.


At the school, she was introduced to 'dog therapy'. Here, an autism assistance dog would be trained to meet the needs of the child and help change its behaviour by introducing routines, interrupting repetitive behaviour and helping him cope with unfamiliar surroundings.

Bhattacharya did her research. "In the West, therapy dogs have been found to be highly useful for children with such conditions. I wanted to give it a try."


Consultant paediatric neurologist at Kokilaben Hospital, Dr Pradnya Gadgil, says, "Animal therapy can be beneficial for children with autism. However, it cannot be the only form of therapy employed. They also need occupational, behavioural and speech therapy simultaneously."


Last June, Bhattacharya bought a four-week-old labrador pup (who they named Simbaa), and spent Rs 50,000 on getting it trained in assistance therapy. "Through research I found that, compared to other breeds, labradors are genetically predisposed to being happy. Simbaa comes from a champion blood line. His parents were frequent participants at dog shows," says Bhattacharya.


Assistance training

Bhattacharya enrolled Simbaa at the Andheri -based Animal Angels Foundation run by Rohini Fernandes (left, in picture above) and Radhika Nair. Since 2005, the two have trained 75 dogs in assisting patients with various mental and psychological ailments.

First, Simbaa was put through a series of tests. Fernandes and Nair are clinical psychologists and certified practitioners of animalassisted therapy from the University of North Texas in US. They have stringent criteria for selection of animals.

Source : TOI , 26th June 2013

Centre considering mental hospital upgradation: Maharashtra govt : Nagpur

The Maharashtra government on Wednesday informed the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court that a proposal for upgradation of regional mental hospital here was under active consideration of the central government. A division bench comprising justice BhushanDharmadhikari and justice AtulChandurkar disposed of a petition filed by social worker UmeshChoube through his counsel SrikantKhandalkar.

The petitioner had approached the judiciary alleging government failure to upgrade the mental hospital on Koradi Road. He contended that the city-based hospital presents a sorry picture, and lacks vital equipment and staff due to government lethargy. He added that all this was severely affecting patients, who come even from neighbouring states like Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. He also demanded a high-level enquiry into the state's failure to send a proposal for its upgradation.

At the hearing, Khandalkar stressed immediate steps were needed for implementation of National Mental Health Programme in all government mental colleges in state, and also sought directives to Government Medical College and Mayo Hospital apart from Mental Hospital to take immediate steps for establishing Center of Excellence in the field of mental health. He also insisted on instructions to the state to implement National Mental Health Programme to save Rs 30 crore grant from the centre, which is in danger of lapsing. He also demanded a high-level enquiry for state's failure to send proposal for upgradation.

However, government pleader Nitin Sambre said that the State Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) had already forwarded a proposal to the centre, where it was under the active consideration of authorities.

Earlier, the central government informed the court that they had upgraded two hospitals in the western region, at Ahmedabad and Pune, at a cost of Rs 30 crore. But when the judges questioned why the Nagpur hospital was not considered, assistant solicitor general SK Mishra replied that the state had failed to submit an upgradation proposal in this regard.


Source : TOI , 27th June 2013

Mental arithmetic camp organised in Bhopal

Aloha Abacus Learning Centre organized a 5-day Mental Arithmetic Talent Surge Camp for students of age between 6 and 13 years. The purpose of the camp was improvement in speed calculation, speed writing, opportunity of comprehensive revision of arithmetic - which forms the very basis of mathematics.

The Mental Arithmetic Programme of Aloha India has long term benefits for a child including, surge in concentration and focus, logical development of brain, development of competitive edge, enhancement in self-confidence and esteem. The camp was attended by 60 students.

At the end of the camp, Aloha Mental Arithmetic Competition was organized to bring the students of the camp on the competitive platform. The competition was all about speed, concentration and memory wherein a student was expected to solve maximum arithmetic questions in just a span of 5 minutes. Interestingly, students put up a spell-binding performance.

To honour these students, a prize distribution function has been organized by the Aloha Abacus Learning Centre at the auditorium of Regional Science Centre at Shyamla Hills. During the function, the students were awarded for different levels of Mental Arithmetic Programme in four age-categories of 6-8 years, 8-10, 10-12 and above 12 years.

At the function, Ayush Kishor - the grand champion of Aloha International Mental Arithmetic Championship 2013 held at Malaysia, was also felicitated.


Source : TOI , 26th June 2013

Jaya opens education centres for differently-abled

Fulfilling her promise made in the State Assembly, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday inaugurated the State Resource Centre for Inclusive Education, a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country, at Santhome at a cost of Rs 46.42 lakh. The centre, set up through the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, would be a boon to differently-abled children as they can get information regarding treatments available for curing the various disabilities, equipment, financial assistance, etc.


The Chief Minister inaugurated the centre from the Secretariat through video-conferencing.


The centre has facilities for physiotherapy, speech therapy, vision stimulation, communicative devices for differently-abled children, assessment section for assessing the nature of disability, a training centre for differently-abled children and teachers, a library with special books and information centres of national institutions working for the welfare of the differently-abled.


Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also inaugurated the additional infrastructure facilities in 91 high schools and higher secondary schools and new buildings for 11 high schools, six model schools, two primary education offices and two government teachers training institutes and two district libraries constructed at a cost of `117.77 crore.

Source : The New Indian Express , Chennai ; 27th June 2013

Indian Tech Startups: A Ray Of Hope To The Differently Abled

“Death is no more than passing from one room into another. But there's a difference for me, you know. Because in that other room I shall be able to see,” said the great Helen Keller once. Being blind is horrifying and tragic but how often do we realize the value of our eyes? No, not every time but maybe only when our eyes spot the visually handicapped.

While most of us today try to build and create technology to make our lives easier, we seldom think about the people who really need assistance to run their daily chores – the differently abled ones. But to the world’s relief, we have talented and creative entrepreneurs in our country who have been constantly striving for the betterment of such people in the recent past. The ‘new-generation’ startups have observed the potentiality of the niche and have innovated to a great extent by inventing smartphones for the visually challenged, smart watches that detect the emotions of autistic and devices to help the paralyzed ones access internet.


Source : Silicon India , 27th June 2013

"Off the Notebook" Columnist : By HITESH KAKKAD

One of the many problems that Chiarians can also have is Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. This is one of many different types of inherited and acquired disorders, as well as degenerative conditions of the craniocervical junction that can cause an array of neurological signs and symptoms such as dysautonomia and multiple sclerosis. Craniocervical syndromes can affect CSF and blood flow going into and out of the brain. They can also cause compressive myelopathies of the cervicomedullary cord.  They can cause the lower brainstem and upper spinal cord to malfunction due to compression.

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome is a hereditary disorder of connective tissues.  It is important to note that you have to inherit the condition, which means you can't get it from multiple sclerosis. You have to be born with it. On the other hand, if you have the condition it makes you highly susceptible to getting multiple sclerosis. It is an inherited connective tissue disorder associated with loose tissues that can cause numerous problems such as overly flexible joints (hypermobile), skin that overstretches, dilated blood vessels and organs, as well as scoliosis of the spine to name a few.

Furthermore, some Ehlers-Danlos patients have a short clivus. The clivus is the slanted part of the base of the skull mentioned above. It is the front side of the posterior fossa. The front of the belly side of the brainstem lies behind it. A short clivus tends to indicate a lower ceiling height in the posterior fossa which further crowds the cerebellum and brainstem. The short clivus predisposes certain cases of EDS to Chiari malformations that put pressure on the belly side of the brainstem in front of the foramen magnum, which likewise can affect CSF flow.

As a result of increased elasticity of connective tissues, Ehlers-Danlos patients often have hypermobile joints, including the joints of the spine. The hypermobility of joints can cause subluxations and dislocations in the hands, feet, elbows and shoulders, as well as scoliosis and kyphosis in the spine. Hypermobility of the cervical spine can cause chronic subluxations of the upper cervical spine. Chronic subluxations of the upper cervical spine can sometimes cause a pannus formation on the odontoid process of the second cervical vertebra (C2), also known as axis.

While Chiari malformations have been reported in some EDS cases, it is suspected that other cases may be associated with benign intracranial hypertension (BIH) and still others with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). EDS patients often get MS signs and symptoms and the problem stems from poor CSF flow.

By studying and trying to solve problems with CSF flow seen in Ehlers-Danlos cases, we can learn more about the role the design of the skull and upper cervical spine play in Chiari malformations and CSF flow in other neurodegenerative conditions that affect the brain and cord such as Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease and multiple sclerosis. Humans are predisposed to problems with blood and CSF flow in the brain and cord due to changes in structure as a result of upright posture. Ehlers-Danlos or EDS is just one of many conditions.

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Hitesh Kakkad is both an International Advisor and an "Off the Notebook" Columnist for the International Chiari Association (ICA), which is a nonprofit organization. Kakkad, who has Chiari, is from Mumbai (also known as Bombay), India.


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Source : Chiariassociation.org , 24th June 2013

UAE participates in book access conference

The UAE’s Ministry of Economy is participating in the “Diplomatic Conference to Conclude a Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works by Visually Impaired Persons and Persons with Print Disabilities”, which is currently being hosted in the Kingdom of Morocco.

The UAE delegation is headed by Dr. Ali Al Hosani, Assistant Under-Secretary for Intellectual Property Affairs at the Ministry of Economy, accompanied by a number of officials.


During his speech at the conference which is being organised by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) from the 17th - 28th of June, Dr. Al Hosni said that the United Arab Emirates offers its full support to disabled and visually impaired people.


He pointed out that UAE has completed a review of national legislation to preserve the rights of the disabled, adding that the UAE has allocated 25 per cent of public sector jobs for people with disabilities, demonstrating its full commitment to providing the elements of a decent life in accordance with the requirements of the 21st century.


The conference aims to adopt an international treaty to improve access to copyrighted works for the many visually impaired people around the world.


Source : Khaleej Times , 25th June 2013

Delhi University: Now admissions for physically challenged to 4-year UG programme will be a lot easier

Students aspiring to join the join the new four-year undergraduate programme in Delhi University (DU) will now heave a sigh of relief. The University authorites have told colleges to set up "special category admission enabling committees" for physically challenged students and those belonging to the socially marginalised sections.

 

The colleges have been given time till June 27 to update the names of the members of these panels on their websites, a university official informed media.

 

The panels will be required to facilitate admissions of the physically challenged and students from the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and other backward classes.

 

Till last year the students were issued a slip by the EOC and they had to go to colleges, pay their fees and complete the admission process. However, from now onwards, each college will have a separate window, an easy internal college form and easy accessible forms in audio and print for students with disabilities.

 

According to the university guidelines, all colleges are required to update the names of the committee members on their websites before the announcement of the first cut-off list June 27 but only four have complied so far.

 

Some staff members in these four colleges do not seem to be aware of their exact role on these special committees.

 

The other colleges that have constituted the enabling committees are Daulat Ram College, Mata Sundri College for Women and Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC).

 

The university has introduced the four-year undergraduate programme starting this academic year, under which the students will be required to study 11 foundational courses in the first two years, clubbing together students who seek vocational education with those pursuing pure academic disciplines.


Source : Daily Bhaskar , 24th June 2013

 

More tech start-ups making products for differently-abled : Bangalore

Creating technology that can improve quality of life for the differently-abled is becoming a focus for a number of entrepreneurs.

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Creating technology that can improve quality of life for the differently-abled is becoming a focus for a number of entrepreneurs who see this as an opportunity to build scalable businesses. These ventures are developing a range of products — from smartwatches that monitor the emotions of the autistic to devices that improve vision and help the paralysed access the Internet — that combine profits with social good.



"Innovations remain a one-time news story unless they find a marketplace," said Shilpi Kapoor, founder, BarrierBreak, a Mumbai-based company that develops and markets assistive devices for a range of disabilities . Kapoor, 40, a former consultant for a US-based technology company, was spurred to set up the firm when she became aware of the everyday struggles of her supervisor at work, who was paralysed.



Among the products from BarrierBreak, which has raised seed capital from early-stage investor Aavishkaar Venture, is ListenorPro that helps adjust decibel levels for people with auditory impairment. Other devices include a colour-coded keyboard for the dyslexic as well as battery-operated toys for children with cerebral palsy.


This year, the company expects to clock revenues of Rs 4.5 crore. Experts are of the view that with nearly 21 million people categorised as differently-abled in India, the opportunity is huge for businesses that make technology affordable for them. "Computing technology can hugely improve lives of people with disabilities," said Ashutosh Chadha, director of corporate affairs for South Asia at Intel.


Investors are taking note


"However, the cost of models available internationally is prohibitive for use in India," he added. Last month, the chipmaker, along with the Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore, hosted a competition for technology startups that develop products which have the potential for social good.



Among those selected were 21-year-olds Manoj Sanker and Mrinal Parekh, who developed a smart watch that helps monitor the emotions of autistic children.



They will head to Silicon Valley in October, hosted by Intel , and meet angel investors. "It is a huge market for entrepreneurs," said Akhilesh Malani, who is working on an innovation for the visually impaired. Malani, a software tester at Bangalore-based Prakat, lost his eyesight in an accident as a teenager and believes the challenge is to build both intuitive and affordable technology.



For many entrepreneurs, the trigger is often a personal one. Harpreet Sareen, 24, was a student in Punjab University when his friend suffered optic nerve damage in an accident. That is when he developed web@ssist which provides inclusive access to the visually challenged to use the Web.



"It gave me a sense of purpose," said Sareen, whose company Stack Trace Solutions, was launched in Bangalore this year. Apart from licensing the product to large companies keen to offer such technology to employees, Sareen, who is scouting for seed capital for his company, also expects to deploy the technology at public places such as libraries, laboratories and classrooms.




"The opportunity is large and has been demonstrated to be significant outside India. Here it is still an emerging market opportunity," said Vineet Rai, founder of Aavishkaar Venture, the investor in BarrierBreak. There are other ventures focused on the disabled that are gearing up to launch their products.



Among them is Secunderabad-based Ducere Technologies, founded by Krispian Lawrence and Anirudh Sharma, graduates from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Michigan, respectively. Ducere has created a shoe for the visually impaired that guides the user with vibrations. As consumer demand and entrepreneurial energy converge, a number of investors are taking note.




Source : TOI , 25th June 2013

Smoother admission process on cards for differently-abled : Delhi

The first day of the sale and submission of application forms at Delhi University had seen a large number of students - under the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) category - running from pillar to post in order to lay their hands on the forms and other basic information.

Since then, the varsity's Equal Opportunity Cell (EOC) has come a long way to make special provisions for students applying under the special category.

From separate counters for forms in each college, to separate grievance redressal committees, the university is doing everything in its power to ensure the aspirants do not have to worry about the admission process.

"We have asked principals of all colleges to give us reports about the kind of preparations that have been made. Other than the fact that the admission process will be carried out in each college on the ground floor, we will assign volunteers to help these students in filling up of forms and other processes that they might need assistance with," said Bipin Tiwari, OSD of DU's Equal Opportunity Cell.

The varsity sets aside a minimum of 3% of its seats in all undergraduate courses for students of this category. The dean students' welfare (DSW) office issues a slip to the candidates following which they pay the fees in the college assigned.

This year, however, students will have the liberty to go to individual colleges as per the cut-off and take admission as per their discretion, a move for which the Equal Opportunity Cell of the university is pulling out all stops.

"We want to encourage students to take admission in colleges close to their place of residence. But in different colleges, we have ensured that there are wheelchairs for those who need it. In addition to that, audio versions of the bulletin and prospectus will be provided and there will be volunteers helping them as well," Tiwari added.


Source : Hindustan Times , 25th June 2013

Why bosses should hire the disabled...

I agree with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong that there cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach towards the hiring of older workers ("Work beyond 65? Yes, go for it", May 2).

This policy should be extended to cover working-age adults with disabilities. Many of them want to work but do not stay long in their jobs because their employers and colleagues wrongly perceive them to be less capable, educated, intelligent and productive.

There are two reasons why we should consider employing or re-employing them.

First, disabled people are not necessarily impaired. Employers need to distinguish between disability and impairment.

According to the World Health Organisation, disability is a form of limitation that causes difficulty in performing or completing a task that is within the normal range for a human being. Impairment is any loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological or anatomical structure or function.

A person can be physically impaired but have no disability when doing his job. For example, a wheelchair-bound accountant may be impaired as a result of paraplegia, but this does not hamper his work.

Someone else may be disabled with no obvious impairment.

For example, a teacher suffering severe chronic fatigue has no obvious physical impairment but may struggle to cope with her teaching load.

Second, people are Singapore's only natural assets and they include the disabled.

Like any other employee, a disabled person possesses his own aptitude, attitude and altitude for work.

Work aptitude refers to how much one can contribute to one's employer in terms of competence and proficiency; work attitude concerns the approach one takes towards work; and work altitude refers to how much one can achieve when entrusted with more responsibility. The combination of the three contributes to a person's employability.

With SG Enable's new role in helping the disabled find work ("Renamed centre to focus on disabled"; April 18), perhaps the centre can evaluate the re-employability of disabled people who have lost or left their previous jobs for various reasons.

Source : Asia One News , Singapore ; 25th June 2013

LSR plans special resource centre for disabled students ; Delhi

Lady Shri Ram College for Women is coming up with a resource centre for its disabled students as part of its equal-opportunity centre, Swavalamban.

"It is a state-of-the-art facility equipped with latest assistive technology aimed at promoting self-reliance and independence among disabled students. The resource centre is endowed with a braille embosser, screen reading software, lex-cam scanner, book scanner, DAISY recorders as well as 10 computer systems with OCR software in both English and Hindi," said Kanika Khandelwal, the college's media coordinator.

The resource centre will be fully functional from the upcoming academic year.

"LSR has the highest intake of disabled students and we do our utmost to ensure their academic, economic and cultural development," said Khandelwal.

Last year, LSR had 12 visually impaired students and the college held computer literacy workshops, personality development seminars and other self-help programmes for their benefit.

The equal-opportunity centre, Swavalamban, was initiated in 2007 and primarily supports blind students through training in JAWS and SAFA. Apart from computer skills, this centre also imparts entrepreneurial skills through interactive workshops on chocolate making, art and craft and candle-making.

The college also provides scholarships to deserving students and conducts training programmes, workshops and field trips.

Source : Hindustan Times , 24th June 2013

Amputee inspires with tale of grit, will

Emotions ran high at the felicitation ceremony of ArunimaSinha, the first woman amputee to climb Mount Everest, at Velammal Matriculation School on Monday.

The students listened in rapt attention as she recalled the accident in which she lost her left leg two years ago after she was pushed out of a running train by thieves. And then she described the life-and-death battle to climb the world's highest mountain.

"When you have a dream and it does not let you sleep until you fulfil it, then you know you are in the right direction," said Arunima as she motivated board examinations toppers who came to receive their awards. A shining example of how hard work rewards, the mountaineer said that from the second she lost her leg in the railway tracks till she hoisted the Indian flag on top of the Everest, determination helped her cross life's hurdles.

"At one point during the climb I saw several lifeless bodies of fellow mountaineers buried in the snow and it shook my resolve. But I wanted to reach the summit on their behalf and bring them peace in death," she said.

Arunima continued her journey even after warnings from her trainer that she was about to run out of oxygen and she could die. "When I was asked to return I could see the summit from where I was standing and I did not want to give up. Luckily when I made it to the top, I found an extra oxygen tank abandoned by a mountaineer," she said. "When I hoisted the Indian flag on the summit, I was literally on top of the world," said Arunima. The school presented a cheque for Rs 1 lakh in recognition of her achievement.

B Saravanan, an alumnus of the school who had secured the Indian Foreign Service Rank in the civil services exams was also present at the programme to motivate the students. "I come from a village near Erode and I am a first generation graduate. Hard work got me so far," said Saravanan. "Though I was in a well-paying IT job, the decision to quit and pursue my dream was the best decision I made," he added.

Students were visibly inspired. "Achievers like Arunima inspires you be an inspiration yourself," said V Aruna Mathangi, a Class 11 topper.     

Source : TOI , Chennai ; 25th June 2013 

विकलांग बच्चों का प्रवेश जुलाई में : Partap Gadh ( UP)

नगर के भंगवा चुंगी स्थित राजकीय शारीरिक रूप से अक्षम बालकों के उच्चतर माध्यमिक विद्यालय 'प्रयास' में विकलांग छात्रों का प्रवेश जुलाई माह में किया जाएगा। इसमें कक्षा एक से दस तक के बच्चों को निश्शुल्क शिक्षा के साथ ही उनके रहने खाने एवं चिकित्सा आदि की सुविधाएं राज्य सरकार द्वारा उपलब्ध कराई जाती हैं।

जिला विकलांग कल्याण अधिकारी जेपी सिंह ने बताया कि 7 से 14 वर्ष की आयु के विकलांग बच्चों को प्रवेश के समय सीएमओ द्वारा जारी विकलांगता का तथा प्रधान द्वारा जारी 1000 से कम की मासिक आय का प्रमाणपत्र देना होगा। कक्षा एक से पांच तक प्रवेश गृह शिक्षा अथवा टीसी के आधार पर तथा कक्षा छह से नौ में प्रवेश टीसी एवं टेस्ट के आधार पर होगा। 

Source : Jagran , 22nd  June 2013 

Blind students from districts say no to city school : Chennai

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The students say their agricultural-labourer parents cannot afford to send them to Chennai and support their educational needs. 

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On Monday, the first day of the new academic year for class XI at the Government Higher Secondary School for the Visually Impaired in Poonamallee, there was not a single student from the institute’s feeder school in Thanjavur.

All 22 students from the Thanjavur high school have passed class X but have refused to come to Chennai.

For the past several years, successive batches of visually-impaired students from Thanjavur have written to the department for the welfare of the differently abled to upgrade their school but with no avail.

The students hail from villages in and around Ariyalur, Nagapattinam, Thiruvarur, Karaikal and Thanjavur. There are 10 blind schools in the State and only two for higher secondary education — one for boys in Poonamallee and the other for girls in Tiruchi. Last year, 18 students were admitted from Thanjavur to the Poonamallee school.

G. Arun Prasad, who scored 389 marks in class X, is from Palanjur village in Pattukottai taluk of Thanjavur district. His parents are agricultural labourers who have told him to drop out if he has to go to Chennai. His classmate J. Murugadas too faces the same predicament.

“My parents are agricultural labourers and do not have the means to support me in a big city,” said Murugadas who hails from Athangudi in Tiruvarur district. “Students from three batches ahead of us had requested the government to upgrade our school but no decision was taken,” he said. Murugadas scored 408 marks in class X.

The students said that on Monday they were asked to come to school with a copy of the ration card.

“When we went to school, we were asked to collect our transfer certificates (TC). We were told that if we refused to take the TC, we would not get a conduct certificate,” said a student.

The students refused to take their TC and instead sent a petition to the Chief Minister. The petition has been signed by the students and their parents. A cursory look at the signatures reveals the parents are neo-literates.

“We have to travel 300 km to Chennai and our parents are casual labourers who don’t have the means to support us. We fear we will not be able to pursue our education. We request you to upgrade the school and help us,” the petition reads.

Students said they decided to petition the CM fearing the issue would not be brought to the notice of the government. Officials at the department for the differently abled said they were aware of the issue and had brought it to the notice of the commissioner.

Source : The Hindu , 25th June 2013

‘Barring polio-hit, AIDS patients from performing Haj against human rights’

The Indian Haj Committee under the Ministry of External Affairs apparently does not believe in meting out fair treatment to HIV/AIDS-affected and those with disabilities.

Its website, hajcommittee.com, has a clause barring the HIV/AIDS-affected and the polio-hit from going on Haj to Makkah.

The clause surfaces in the FAQ’s “eligibility criteria” query in answer to which it lists those who are not eligible to perform haj.

The link states that those “suffering from polio, tuberculosis, congestive cardiac and respiratory ailments, acute coronary insufficiency, coronary thrombosis, mental disorder, infectious leprosy, AIDS and / or any other communicable diseases or handicaps, are ineligible to perform haj.”

The barring of AIDS and polio-affected has attracted the attention of not only Islamic clerics but also human rights activists.

Veteran human rights activist Shabnam Hashmi calls such restrictions absurd and against Islamic Shariat. “Even the World Health Organisation (WHO) has made it clear that no person suffering from any disability or those afflicted with AIDS should be prevented from travelling to any country,” she said.

Ms. Hashmi said that the restrictions had been imposed by some people with “extremely conservative mindset” and demanded that they be immediately removed.

Mufti Mukarram Ahmed, an Islamic scholar and Shahi Imam of the Grand Royal Mosque of Fatehpur, Delhi, also termed the restrictions anti-Islamic. He said that Islam does not prevent people with disabilities or AIDS patients from performing Haj.

Mr. Ahmed said that by preventing AIDS patients from performing Haj, the Haj Committee of India is hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims.

He pointed out that Islam does not mandate that people with disabilities should perform Haj. But, if any person with disability wished to perform Haj, Islam did not restrict him from doing so. “I have visited Makkah and have seen numerous people with disabilities performing Haj,” he said.

Mr. Ahmed demanded that the government provide special facility for those with disabilities to perform Haj. In fact, the website of the Ministry of Haj in Saudi Arabia, where Makkah is located, does not impose any restrictions.

Sources in the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) in New Delhi said that it would act if the matter was officially brought to its notice.

Vice-Chairman of the Haj Committee of India M.M. Ahmed told The Hindu that he was surprised over the restrictions. Admitting that the restrictions were anti-Islamic and against human rights, he said that the issue would be addressed.


Source : The Hindu , Bijapur ( karnataka ) ; 25th July 2013