Mobility is a birthright. Majority of people with disabilities have problems with mobility.  To offer solutions to mobility problems they would require the interventions of Physiotherapist/ Occupational Therapist & Prosthetist/ Orthotist to suggest assistive devices and make them. A wheelchair is another commonly used assistive device for people with disabilities to enhance mobility. Fundamental to all these issues is the approach to disability rehabilitation; through community based rehabilitation programmes, an approach designed to enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities through community initiatives. 

Present Scenario- An estimated 10% of the world’s population*- approximately 650 million people, of which 200 million are children - experience some form of disability. 80% of people with disabilities live in low- income countries. Most are poor & have limited or no access to rehabilitation services.   In India itself, there are 200 million** people with disabilities who constitute 2.13 % of the total population. In addition, natural disasters and man –made conflicts result in disabling conditions like loss of limbs and other disabilities. Other health conditions like diabetes, arthritis, stroke, geriatric care etc. require rehabilitation intervention. India has so far developed only 5% of the required human resource. Of the few professionals being trained in the country many choose to work abroad, at the national level & to some extent at the state level. Not many people prefer the district or the taluk level where most people with disabilities reside. India and other low –income countries of Asia & Africa require trained rehabilitation personnel.

Mobility India ‘s Initiative Set up in 1994, the organization has made a significant contribution to enhance the quality of rehabilitation services in rural and urban areas. Working in partnerships with NGO’s having strong roots in communities of Southern, Eastern & North Eastern regions of India has facilitated provision of assistive devices and setting up rehabilitation workshops in these areas. To sustain these programmes the organizations require trained personnel and Mobility India responded to the need by training the local staff through various short term programmes in repair and maintenance of assistive devices. To address the larger picture of having trained personnel at the community level Mobility India started the training programmes in 2002.

Networking with national & international agencies and regulatory bodies like the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI), Orthotics & Prosthetics Society of India (OPSI), International Society for Prosthetics & Orthotics (ISPO), World health Organization (WHO) & Motivation, UK (specifically for Wheel Chair Courses) Mobility India has designed and developed various training programmes

The training programmes are aimed at creating professionals to work at the grass root levels, who can bring about a positive change in the disability scenario. The primary goal is to provide learning opportunities which promote basic knowledge, skills, values and behaviours that will enable them to implement tasks, under supervision and direction, within a variety of health care and community settings. The main focus of these programmes is in adopting a community-based approach that meets the needs of the people with disability, especially from the urban slum areas, rural areas and low-income countries.

*(WHO -World health Organization), World Report on Disability and Rehabilitation **http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Census_Data_2001/Census_data_finder/C_Series/disabled_population.htm

Currently there is a wide gap between the need and the availability of rehabilitation services and the right kind of human resources in the rehabilitation sector. Fundamental to all these issues is the approach to disability rehabilitation; through community based rehabilitation programmes, an approach designed to enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities through community initiatives

Human Resource Development in Rehabilitation

Mobility India started the training programmes in 2002. The objectives of the training programmes are-

• Develop appropriate rehabilitation personnel to provide prosthetics/orthotics/ wheelchair and therapy services

• Develop personnel to promote community based rehabilitation (CBR)

• Train health and other allied personnel in rehabilitation

 The training programmes are aimed at creating professionals to work at the grass root levels, who can bring about a positive change in the disability scenario.                                                       An Overview …