Natore Pratibandhi Seba Kendra working to bring disabled children to mainstream

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DHAKA, Sept 23, 2019 (BSS/UNICEF FEATURE) – ‘Pratibandhi Seba and Sahajya
Kendra’ of Natore has been established as a unique shelter for the disabled
children and others who are at risk of disability.

The centre is working to bring the children with disabilities to the
mainstream of life through free treatment and with the help of the specialist
doctors and modern equipment.

The centre has already touched the milestone of providing nearly 38,000
services to more than 2,000 children. It is also providing service to the
rural areas through therapy vans and distributing supporting materials among
the disabled.

The centre, located in Bara Harishpur area in Natore town, is one of 103
Pratibandhi Seba and Sahajya Kendras established by Jatiya Pratibandhi
Unnayan Foundation under the Social Welfare Ministry.

The number of registered children who received treatment from the centre
since its establishment in May 2012 was 2,214. These children have received
38,000 services at 12 levels. Apart from them, the males and females also
took services from the centre.

Equipped with skilled manpower, the centre provides physiotherapy,
occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and speech pathology to the
disabled people from Saturday to Wednesday free of cost.

On an average, 50 people receive services on two to three subjects every
day.

“But most of the people including new and old patients take language and
occupational therapies from the centre,” technician Sadikul Islam said,
adding that the number of service recipients on the two issues is 25 to 30.

Therapy Assistant Mahmuda Khatoon said a significant number of patients
come to the centre to receive therapy and exercise.

Physiotherapist of the centre Nasrin Sultana Neela said the plan for
providing treatment is adopted by determining the demand of services of the
service seekers after completing registration.

“Then we start the process for giving a coordinated treatment service …
there are also arrangements of counselling and group study in our services,”
she said.

Bhakta Prasad Saha, an official of the centre on disability, said not only
the treatment, the centre also distributes supporting tools among the
disabled free of cost.

“We’ve so far distributed 323 wheel chairs, 38 standing frames, 31
tricycles, 81 hearing aides, 65 white sticks, 15 elbow crutches, 10 auxiliary
crutches, nine toilet chairs and seven corner chairs and as many number of
walker rolators and folding walkers,” he said.

Saha said the healthcare service campaign at the union level through modern
therapy vans is going on. “Under the campaign, 16,355 medical services have
so far been provided to 6,123 patients at 130 camps in 31 unions of the
district,” he said.

During the deputy commissioners’ conference in Dhaka, he said, a decision
was taken to build a 10-bed residential system as per the necessity of
Pratibandhi Seba Kendra.

“Implementation of the decision is very much needed to complete this
treatment and provide it to the children of remote areas,” Saha said.

He further said that Pratibandhi Seba and Sahajya Kendra of Natore has been
working untiringly for seven years to bring the disabled children and others
who are at risk of disability to the mainstream of the life by providing
treatment free of cost which benefits thousands of families, society and the
state as a whole.