District Disability Rehabilitation Centres across India to see an upscale in services

Upgrade in services of District Disability Rehabilitation Centres to ride Model DDRC concept

The District Disability Rehabilitation Centres (DDRCs) already in operation across the country are set to see an upscale in their services. The DDRCs, which had gone on stream two decades ago, have been successful enough in providing effective rehabilitation services to persons with disabilities.

The centres will now see their services being spruced up thanks to a concept being readied by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disability, functioning under the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

The DDRCs are currently run jointly by District Management Teams headed by the District Magistrate or Collector, in the respective regions and a reputed NGO. It is usually the Indian Red Cross Society which is the NGO chosen.

9 Model District Disability Rehabilitation Centres in Phase I

The upscaling of services would mean that the concept of a Model DDRC would be put in place. According to the of Social Justice ministry sources, as many as nine DDRCs have been upgraded to the Model DDRC level in the first phase. They include those in Badaun, Pilibhit, Barielly, Balaghat, Golaghat, Ahmedabad, Amravati, Kullu and Rampur.

Dr. Virendra Kumar, Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, in an interaction with all model DDRCs recently, also highlighted the suitable changes made in DDRC scheme guidelines to make it more refined and adaptable.

The guidelines include the number of posts that have been increased from existing 12 to 15, and the proximity of new DDRCs near district hospitals or district early intervention centres. He also said that consultants can be hired on call basis and that the process of grant release has been simplified.

More aid to people with disabilities lined up

The Model DDRCs services will have features such as hearing aids test lab, speech therapy room, visual therapy room, psychologist room, physiotherapist room, gait practice parallel bar and tele-medicine/tele-therapy. Further, these DDRCs will also assist people with disabilities in the registration of UDID portal.

It is expected that the Model DDRCs will be able to act as facilitators in providing quality rehabilitation services to people with disabilities and set an example for newer DDRCs that would come up in future.