A mobile therapy service on a bus, which will make various therapies accessible to individuals with disabilities who cannot afford them, was launched on Tuesday.
A mobile therapy bus, equipped with a wheelchair ramp, will visit neighbourhoods in Calcutta, Howrah, and Hooghly every 15 days to provide therapy services to individuals with disabilities.
The interiors of the bus with enclosures for occupational therapy to assist individuals with mobility challenges and (left) for special education
The bus was launched at Mohit Moitra Manchin Paikpara.
This is the second bus started by an NGO — The Hans Foundation — in collaboration with the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (Nepid). The first one was launched in February.
“Our goal is to bridge the accessibility gap for families who struggle to access essential therapies for their loved ones with disabilities. We aim to bring our mobile therapy bus directly to their neighbourhoods, ensuring that those in need receive the support they require,” said Mahua Chatterjee, project manager of the mobile therapy bus.
The NGO first surveys the areas after which a screening is done.
“After the screening, we conduct an assessment followed by intervention. On many occasions because there is low awareness we also have to orient parents or families about early intervention,” said Chatterjee.
The bus has facilities for occupational therapy, speech therapy, and special education, among other things. They are divided into different enclosures. “There could be someone with locomotor disability who needs only occupational disability but there could be someone with autism who needs both occupational and speech therapy. We have to intervene and impress upon family members or individuals to attend subsequent sessions,” said Chatterjee.
She said that on many occasions they do not have the required disability certificate because of low awareness.
“We help them get the disability certificate that makes them eligible for a monthly government aid,” she said.
