More than 150 beneficiaries attended the assessment camp; 59 found eligible for assistive devices to be provided by ALIMCO
YAMUNANAGAR | PEN OF DEMOCRACY NEWS DESK
The District Red Cross Society, Yamunanagar, in collaboration with Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO), a Government of India undertaking, organised the final free assessment camp to identify eligible persons with disabilities and senior citizens requiring artificial limbs and other assistive devices. The camp was held at Panchayat Bhawan near Gaba Hospital in Yamunanagar.
The assessment was organised under the Vyoshree scheme for senior citizens and other welfare provisions aimed at facilitating assistive equipment for eligible beneficiaries. The initiative was undertaken under the guidance of District Red Cross Society president and Deputy Commissioner Preeti, with the objective of ensuring that eligible persons across the district could be assessed and subsequently provided with appropriate support devices.
Acting Secretary of the District Red Cross Society, Sanjeev Dhiman, said free assessment camps had been organised in different blocks of the district so that eligible persons with disabilities and elderly beneficiaries could avail themselves of the facility without having to travel long distances. Prior camps had been conducted in Chhachhrauli, Bilaspur and Saraswati Nagar blocks, while the camp held at Panchayat Bhawan marked the final assessment camp in the series.
More than 150 beneficiaries participated in the final camp. During the assessment, officials and technical experts examined the individual requirements of persons with disabilities and senior citizens and evaluated their eligibility for various assistive devices.
During the process, it was also found that some beneficiaries had already received assistive devices in the past. In some other cases, applicants did not have updated or complete documents required for further processing. Such beneficiaries were guided about the necessary documentation and advised to update their records so that they could make use of the relevant welfare schemes and facilities in the future.
Following the assessment, 59 beneficiaries were found eligible for assistive devices. According to the District Red Cross Society, these beneficiaries will be provided the required equipment by ALIMCO in the near future. The organisation said the assessment process would help ensure that assistive devices reach people according to their actual needs.
The camp brought together specialists associated with the ALIMCO agency of the Government of India. Audiologist Madhukar, Amandeep Sharma, Prosthetist and Orthotist (P&O) Subhash Chandra and members of the ALIMCO team conducted assessments of persons with disabilities and senior citizens.
The technical team examined beneficiaries to determine their requirements for suitable assistive equipment. Such assessments are important in ensuring that devices are selected according to the functional needs of individual beneficiaries rather than being distributed without proper evaluation.
Representatives and volunteers of the District Red Cross Society also played an active role in facilitating the camp. Those who participated from the Red Cross side included Shashi Bhushan, Sheeshpal Singh Sohi, Raj Kumar, Vijay Singh, Sunita Sharma, Jasbir Singh, Balwinder Kumar, Naresh Kumar and Sat Prakash, along with other social workers.
The District Red Cross Society said the assessment camps were part of its continuing efforts to connect vulnerable sections of society with welfare schemes and assistive services. Such camps also provide an opportunity for beneficiaries to understand the documentation and eligibility requirements associated with government-supported assistance programmes.
For many elderly persons and persons with disabilities, access to appropriate assistive equipment can significantly improve mobility, independence and day-to-day functioning. Artificial limbs and other support devices can help beneficiaries perform routine activities with greater ease and participate more actively in family and community life.
Officials and volunteers also used the camp to create awareness among beneficiaries about the importance of maintaining updated documents. Those whose records were incomplete were given guidance so that documentation-related difficulties could be avoided when they apply for government assistance or other welfare benefits in the future.
The District Red Cross Society appreciated the participation of beneficiaries, technical experts, volunteers and social workers in the final assessment camp. The organisation said the identification of 59 eligible beneficiaries was an important outcome of the exercise and expressed the expectation that the identified beneficiaries would receive their approved assistive devices from ALIMCO soon.
The initiative reflects the importance of coordinated efforts between district-level welfare organisations and government agencies in taking support services closer to people who require them. By conducting assessments at the local level, the District Red Cross Society and ALIMCO have sought to make the process more accessible for persons with disabilities and senior citizens in Yamunanagar district.
POD/DESK
