Health DG throws full weight behind children with disabilities

Tribute to SLACD for collaborative efforts of multiple healthcare professionals

It was a simple but powerful ceremony.

Among the Very Important Persons (VIPs) invited on January 20 to be participants at the 6th biennial conference of the Sri Lanka Association for Child Development (SLACD) at the BMICH in Colombo were proud parents and their children who were ‘Star Awardees’.

Strong support came from the chief guest, who was none other than the Director-General of Health Services, Dr. Asela Gunawardena who spoke at length on many aspects hindering special children from blooming to their full potential.

Giving his personal view first, he asked whether Community Paediatricians who can identify early and support these children are being used to their “fullest capacity” as those working in the peripheries did not have facilities.

Dr. Gunawardena stressed that each and every one needed to work together to uplift these children so that they can take their rightful place, with dignity, in society.

Placing many a laurel on the SLACD through which there were collaborative efforts of multiple healthcare professionals, he called it a “fine example’ of the feats that can be achieved collectively for the benefit of children with disabilities.

Pointing out that the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank estimate that more than a billion people – 15% of the world’s population – live with some form of disability, he explained that among them 110-190 million (2.2-3.8%) adults have very significant difficulties in functioning. Sri Lanka did not have reliable and representative estimates on the number of children living with disabilities.

“Existing prevalence estimates

vary considerably because of differences in definitions and the wide range methodologies and measurement instruments adopted. The limitations of census and general household surveys to capture childhood disability, the absence of registries in most low and middle-income countries and poor access to culturally appropriate clinical and diagnostic services contribute to lower estimates. As a result many children with disabilities may neither be identified nor receive needed services,” he lamented.

According to the DG, in a discussion paper on early childhood development and disability, the WHO had stated that young children with disabilities are often overlooked in mainstream programmes and services designed to ensure their development. Even in Sri Lanka, Community Paediatricians who can support these children are in places where they should not be. This has to be corrected immediately.

He went onto say that children with disabilities and their families face numerous barriers including inadequate legislation and policies, negative attitudes, inadequate services

and lack of accessible environments. They are also among the world’s most stigmatized and excluded children.

“If children with developmental delays or disabilities and their families are not provided with timely and appropriate early intervention, support and protection, their difficulties can become more severe, often leading to lifetime consequences, increased by poverty and profound exclusion,” added Dr. Gunawardena.

SLACD President Dr. Jayathri Jagoda spoke of her tenure as being filled with unprecedented challenges but sent out hope when she detailed how they, the only multidisciplinary association in the country, managed to overcome these hurdles.

The highlight was the four-day scientific programme on the theme ‘Together for children through challenging times’ which included skills training and pre-congress sessions on the important topics of autism and cerebral palsy. She was justifiably proud about holding the autism pre-congress meeting in Galle amidst huge challenges.

“Children are the future of our country and the SLACD is dedicated

to working towards their wellbeing, especially the developmentally challenged ones. This is why the SLACD is supporting the dissemination of knowledge and sharing the experiences of experts to stimulate all to deliver quality care to children,” said Dr. Jagoda.

She announced that Sri Lanka has been accepted as one of just nine members of the International Alliance of Academies of Childhood Disability (IAACD).