the goan I network
PANAJI
The Goa Government is yet to implement the Rights of Persons with Disability Act 2016 passed two years ago by the central government, leaving persons will several newly categorized and recognized disabilities in the lurch, Fr Maverick Fernandes, Director of Caritas which runs a programme for the deafblind children in the state, has said.
Speaking on the first day of a two-day training session on the early intervention needs of the deafblind children, Fr Fernandes said that the new Act was a huge step forward as it recognized deafblindness as a special disability but the State government is yet to frame rules for its effective implementation.
Caritas has been running a programme for the deafblind, with 43 children under its care. It makes regular visits to these children at their homes to train and educate them.
Caritas has been serving the deafblind children and adults for the past six years.
In the absence of rules, the deafblind who have to do without 95% of the sensory capabilities -- hearing and sight -- are not recognized as a separate disability and are categorized as either blind or deaf meriting no special treatment.
“We have been petitioning the government over the last two years, but nothing seems to be done in this regard,” Fr Fernandes said.
Sense India International has set up early identification and intervention services for deafblind children and has begun early intervention programmes.
“Sense India sets up early intervention services for the young children with deafblindness and their families. Providing early intervention to the children and their families requires a different set of skills as deafblindness being a combination of varying degrees of visual and hearing impairment results in severe difficulties in communication, mobility and accessing information,” Reflino Fernandes, programme manager of Sense International India, pointed out.
