Disability News India (DNI)
Disability News India (DNI), is a disability News service dedicated to providing a quality up-to-date information to the Indian Disability. DNI's news section is updated two times a week, though we also add breaking stories as and when they occur.
Disability News India – August 2008 Issue
- Bombay High Court Rejects Abortion on Supposedly Disabled Unborn Baby
- Redefine 'disability' in the national trust act: NGOs
- Supporting disabled people
Bombay High Court Rejects Abortion on Supposedly Disabled Unborn Baby
Mumbai, 4 Aug: After a panel of physicians weighed in on the case, the Bombay High Court on Monday denied a request from a couple who wanted a late–term abortion on a baby who is supposedly physically disabled. The doctors said further examinations showed no abnormalities in the 24–week–old unborn baby.
The Mehtas argued that they believe they won't be able to afford to care for the baby or endure the trauma, and, therefore, they should be allowed to terminate the life of their unborn baby.
Justices RMS Khandeparkar and Amjad Sayed cited the recommendations by the doctors in their decision.
"There is no medical evidence on record to say that he will be disabled after birth," they wrote in their decision. "The petitioners have not made out that this lady's case is exceptional for us to use discretionary powers."
They said they would not have allowed the abortion even if the request came before the 20–week period considered the earliest an unborn child could survive outside the womb.
The couple had claimed at least one doctor indicated the baby would be born with a congenital heart block. They said the baby would need a pacemaker to regulate her heart from the time of birth and they couldn't afford one.
The judges also said they couldn't change the current India law on abortions, known as the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 1971. The law prohibits abortions beyond 20 weeks into pregnancy unless the mother's life is at risk from it.
"It is the job of the legislature to help you alter the provision. We can not legislate the provision," they said, according to a NI Wire report.
Redefine 'disability' in the national trust act: NGOs
BANGALORE, 3 Aug: Support networks not only support disabled people, but also provide strength to their families, said Poonam Natarajan, chairperson of National Trust, at a workshop on Saturday .
The event, organized by the Karnataka Parents Association for Mentally Retarded Citizens (KPAMRC), sought amendment of the National Trust Act with reference to the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
The NTA was proposed to address apprehensions of parents on the future of children with intellectual disability, and enacted in 1999.
Since the Act has several lacunae, new legislation by which these gaps can ben addressed was discussed at the workshop.
Professor at the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research, Amita Dhanda and Gabor Gombas, senior advocacy officer for mental disability, Hungary, spoke about harmonizing national laws with the CRPD and suggested amendments to the National Trust Act.
Other issues discussed at the event included re–definition of disability in the Act, training programmes, certification for rehabilitation professionals, caregivers and attendants, supported decision–making , community participation, early diagnosis, setting of norms regarding education and employment.
Representatives of NGOs, parents' associations, persons with disabilities and self–advocates participated in the workshop. "Definition of disability needs to be redefined with a universal model and there is a need for recognition of limited guardianship," stressed Rajiv Rajan, who suffers from severe cerebral palsy. He started his education at the age of 12 and completed SSLC within six years. He is now studying through distance education for his diploma in human rights from the Institute of Human Rights, New Delhi.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Back to TopSupporting disabled people
When 16–year–old Kumaran slipped from a train and lost both his legs while commuting to college in Chennai, his family was shattered . For his father, a daily–wager , meeting initial medical expenses to save his son's life was itself a challenge. The amputation of both legs, and the sense of being a burden to his parents, pushed Kumaran into depression. He tried committing suicide on several occasions .
Fortunately, concerned friends bought him to Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO). He was fitted with lower limb prosthetics (artificial leg) free of cost and trained to walk. Initially, he used elbow crutches, then a walking stick. Today , he can walk independently, and currently works as a technical adviser in a firm.
This is but one of the many success stories of ALIMCO, which produces more than 355 types of aids and appliances of various categories , including some for the mentally challenged. ALIMCO was established in 1972 in Kanpur to provide artificial limbs to thousands of injured soldiers of the Indo–Pak war. In fact, 13% of ALIMCO employees themselves are disabled people.
Though it has been in existence for more then 36 years, not many are aware that this non–profit organization , working under the ministry of social justice and empowerment , has been distributing aids and appliances free of cost and at concessional rates. It has five regional marketing centres in India – Bangalore, Mumbai, Bhubaneshwar , Kolkata and New Delhi. ALIMCO has been a channel of distribution under various schemes like Assistance to Disabled Persons for purchase/ fitting of aids and appliances (AIDP) and Sarva Shikshana Abhiyan (SSA).
According to a sample survey in 2002, there are about 18.04 million persons with disabilities in the country. In addition, about 3% of children below 14 years suffer from delayed development. So, aiding the disabled has been a challenge for the government.
Under AIDP, disabled people whose monthly salary is below Rs 6,500 can avail of these aids free of cost. Those costing below Rs 10,000 are covered under the scheme. Sarva Shikshana Abhiyan along with Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry, provides these free of cost to disabled children between 6 and 14 years through organizations like ALIMCO. K V Rajesh, assistant manager, ALIMCO, Bangalore , said last year it reached out to 21 districts in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. "We have covered 6,400 beneficiaries under SSA and, in Karnataka, 3,700 under AIDP, which issued an annual fund of Rs 7 crore for the distribution of aids and appliances . Under SSAs, there is no limit to the funds; we provide 60% and the HRD ministry covers 40% of the cost," said Rajesh.
Since ALIMCO has 355 types of aids and appliances, all disabled people can contact its nearest centres . Thanks to such efforts, a handicap needn't mean the end of the world.
Two photographs Certificate of disability Identity and address proof Income certificate For those with monthly income less than Rs 6,500, aids and appliances up to Rs 10,000 are free For those earning more then Rs 6,500 but less then Rs 10,000, all aids and appliances available at 50% of cost.
Contact block education officer or block resource coordinator of the area or the district deputy coordinator of SSA scheme ALIMCO has 355 types of aids and appliances to assist various kinds of disabilities, including mental illnesses. For further information, log on to www.artlimbs.com
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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