Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry has said that about 1,441 children with all four types of disabilities were given medical rehabilitation, educational and training facilities, besides providing free pick and drop services.
He stated this in a written reply to the questions asked by the National Assembly members on CADD performance
Dr Tariq Fazal, in his written reply, said that the National Institute of Special Education (NISE) was providing in service training to the professionals/staff of education, special education, health, social welfare in the public and private sector for capacity building.
The NISE offered 64 courses wherein 2257 participants from all over the country attended the courses at National Institute of Special Education. To a written question submitted by Shazia Mubashar, the minister said that Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment of Disabled Persons (VREDP) was working for imparting vocational skills development to the disabled persons with community participation.
“The International Labour Organization (ILO) and Directorate General of Special Education completed quantitative survey of persons with disabilities and their needs for vocational rehabilitation in Islamabad Capital Territory,” he added.
To create awareness at all levels about disability issues, awareness material for all disabilities has been prepared, 17 video clips related to prevention, social, psychological and economical issues prepared with the cooperation of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and submitted to Ministry of Information through NIRM, he added.
He said that 279 officers/officials attended different secretariat trainings at Islamabad and 10 officers attended foreign trainings abroad, adding that National Library and Resource Centre Islamabad working under DGSE established mobile library for the provision of library services for disabled persons at their organization level.
Directorate General of Special Education signed MoU with Comprehensive Health and Education Forum (CHEF International) for the provision of assistive aids for children with physical disabilities from National Special Education Centre for Physically Handicapped Children, Islamabad, he added.
Keeping in view the importance of the sports, 103 children have been given training in different sports events. In outcome of these trainings, disabled athletes participated in the Special Olympics World Summer Games 2011 in Athens, Greece and won 52 medals in different categories and won 2 Silver medals from Australia in December 2013.
Moreover, Dr Tariq said that computerization of National Braille Press is completed for printing of Braille books at National Special Education Centre for visually handicapped children, Islamabad along with up-gradation of National Special Education Centre for hearing impaired children from higher secondary to graduation level, Islamabad.
Autism Resource Centre has been established in the National Special Education Centre for intellectually disabled at H-8/4, Islamabad.
The National Council for the Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons (NCRDP) and CADD has already taken a several steps to promote the welfare and rehabilitation of the disabled persons/ children.
“Special CNIC/Form-B of NADRA on the basis of disability certificate of NCRDP and CADD with the universal logo of disability has been launched,” he maintained.
The minister claimed that free medical treatment in all government hospitals to the disabled including children and their family members has been given along with 50pc concession in airfare and rail fare.
The National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (NIRM) provided full range of services to children with disabilities, he added.