The Chingari Trust has worked for seven years for the rehabilitation of the second and third generation children born to parents and grandparents affected by the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster and the ongoing water contamination.
While talking to media persons, Radheeda Bee of Chingari Trust said that currently, the Trust has registered more than 700 children and is providing treatment to them. She further stated that now, it is time that the State government should come out with some mechanism, so that these children could get treatment free of cost.
Approximately 200 children attend the Rehabilitation Centre daily to benefit from services including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, special education, sports sessions, supplementary nutrition provisions and transportation facilities – all free of charge.
“Our department is involved in providing physiotherapy to these children and has witnessed unbelievable progress. One third of children who were initially not able to sit have now started sitting properly. Approximately 40 children who were initially able to stand but could not walk are now walking freely. There has been tremendous progress in about fifteen percent of children who were not even able to sit but after the therapy are now able to run around. I hope and believe that definitely with the help of physiotherapy, we can bring improvement in the lives of these children,” said Dr Sanjay Gaur, Physiotherapist.
Occupational Therapist Dr. Poonam Gaur told, “An average 30 children with autism, behavioural problems, sensory disorders and developmental delays are treated here. A vast improvement in behavioural change has been noticed in these children. Four autistic children have started going to the normal schools. Those children who could not chew their food are now able to chew and eat normally.”
“At present there are 25 children with us who were initially not able to produce any kind of vocal sound are now able to speak simple sentences and 12 children started talking fluently,” told Speech Therapist Nausheen Khan.
