Media sensitisation
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 26 2015:
A media sensitisation programme on 'mentally challenged' jointly organised by the Commissioner for Disabilities under the State Government and the National Institute of Mentally Handicapped (NIMH) under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment was held today at Manipur Press Club.
Academic Co-ordinator of NIMH, Dr Moushumi Bhowmik, faculty member T Mugesh, Assistant Professor Dr Anurupa G Mary and psychologist in the office of State Commissioner for Disabilities, L Dhaneshore and media persons attended the programme.
Speaking at the programme, Dr Moushumi Bhowmik said that during the next two days, an awareness programme for Anganwadi workers will be held at GM hall and assessment and identification programme will also be held.
The programmes are being taken up under an outreach programme meant for the North East States, she said and added that a three day programme will be conducted at Imphal and Jiribam.
After the awareness drive and the assessment programme, kits and aids will be distributed to children in the next stage.
In the past one year, the Ministry has prepared a special kit for the youngsters.
Answering queries, Dr Moushumi said that country wide, two to three percent of the children are mentally challenged and added that this is out of the 10 pc of total disabilities in the country.
The main agenda of taking up the assessment drive is prevention of mental disability through intervention at an early stage, she elucidated.
The other agenda is to socially and educationally include children who are mentally challenged.
The best stage is to detect it before the age of six.
Psychologist L Dhaneshore said that in the 2011 Census, the total number of persons who were challenged stood at 54,140 and out of this the State Government has given due recognition to only 20,000 .