Devananda provided gamut of service to the disabled in the IDPs’ camps

(September 15, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Under the instructions of Mr. Douglas Devananda, Minister of Social Services and Social Welfare many assistive devices such as wheel chairs, crutches, elbows, tricycles, commode wheel chairs, plastic chairs, white canes, Braille slates, etc., have been distributed among the displaced persons with disabilities living in the welfare camps in Vavuniya.

The Ministry has also taken steps to train 10 social officers concerning the use of these assistive devices with the collaboration of the Handicap International, consequent to a need assessment carried out by the social workers, in the IDP camps. 210 artificial limbs have been fixed to those who had lost limbs previously. A programme is in progress to provide with more prostheses with the Jaipur Foot Programme in India. In the mean time details of the persons with disabilities who wish to settle down with their relatives are being taken for necessary action.

UNICEF has promised financial support for training volunteers from Community Based Rehabilitation programme (CBR) for rehabilitation of the displaced with disabilities in the IDP camps. Accordingly, 31 volunteers from zone 04 of the IDP welfare camps in Vavuniya were trained during the period from 21st to 23rd August 2009 by a group of resourse personnel including the Co-coordinating Officer of the CBR. In addition another group of volunteers from zone 2 of the welfare camps has been trained from 2nd to 3rd of September, in this regard.

There are 19,226 Elders in the welfare camps of which 6003 have been sent to live with relatives and 132 to Paddithoddam Elder’s Home. Another 550 were recommended to the Major General in Charge of the Camp to be transferred to Thirukthiswaran and Samanalakulam Elder’s Homes.

Government Agents of Jaffna, Vavuniya and Mannar also have taken action to transfer 742 elders to the homes of the relatives who had expressed their liking to live with them.

-Sri Lanka Guardian