National Centre for Assistive Health Technology to come up at NISH, says Chief Minister

Minister for Social Justice and Higher Education Dr R Bindu presided over the function.Noting that the government is duty-bound to bring the differently-abled to the mainstream of society, the Chief Minister said the service of the Early Intervention Centre will be made available across the state for the benefit of hearing-impaired kids.


PTI | Thiruvananthapuram | Updated: 17-05-2022 17:34 IST | Created: 17-05-2022 17:34 IST
National Centre for Assistive Health Technology to come up at NISH, says Chief Minister
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A National Centre for Assistive Health Technology will be set up at the National Institute of Speech and Hearing (NISH) at Akkulam here, as a major facility to empower and mainstream the differently-abled, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Tuesday.

Inaugurating the silver jubilee celebrations of the premier institute that has made outstanding contributions in empowerment of differently-abled people, the Chief Minister said the service of the Centre for Assistive Health Technology will also be extended to all districts.

Such a state-of-the art facility will also help step up awareness among the differently-abled about assistive technology, which is vital to help them lead a normal life, he said.

Emphasising the need to give special care for the differently-abled in the post-pandemic period, the Chief Minister said, ''Public spaces including offices, institutions and tourist destinations will have to become differently abled-friendly to transform Kerala as a barrier-free state. Around Rs 600 crore-worth projects have been envisaged to make Kerala a barrier-free state.'' The Chief Minister launched on the occasion the state's first Centre for Research in Communication Sciences (CRCS), the sensory park 'Safal Sensorium' and a Scientific Research Cell for the differently-abled, besides declaring part of the NISH campus as a barrier-free environment campus.

Vijayan also released the 'Accessible Book' for the differently-abled and felicitated Lekshmi and Parvathy, both alumni of NISH, who secured high ranks in Indian Engineering Service. Minister for Social Justice and Higher Education Dr R Bindu presided over the function.

Noting that the government is duty-bound to bring the differently-abled to the mainstream of society, the Chief Minister said the service of the Early Intervention Centre will be made available across the state for the benefit of hearing-impaired kids. The state's first bilingual school for the deaf and hearing-impaired people will start functioning soon.

Vijayan recalled that the government had announced a network of showrooms that sell modern devices for the differently-abled, and projects like Sahajeevanam and Anuyathra in the budget. ''The government will take the initiative to equip NISH with modern facilities. Around Rs 18.93 crore has been allotted to NISH to launch higher education foundation programmes and neuro development science programme,'' he added. Bindu said the government is exploring the possibility of elevating NISH to the status of a university by coalescing it with National Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation(NIPMER) located at Irinjalakuda in Thrissur district.

The Social Justice Department has plans to conduct an international symposium on the issues of differently- abled and ways to make them self-reliant. Three assistive villages, where differently-abled can live in groups, will be set up this year, the Minister said.

Established in 1997 under the Travancore-Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies Act of 1995, NISH offers treatment facilities for defects in hearing, speech, language and communication among children as well as adults.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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