Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Information helpline for persons with disability

CHENNAI: Social Welfare Minister Geetha Jeevan on Monday inaugurated an information helpline for persons with disability at the State Resource and Training Centre, K.K.Nagar.

Christened Disability Line, the service is accessible round the clock in English and Tamil through an interactive voice response system. Users can dial 24744737/24745233 for information on disabilities, Ms. Jeevan said. The line will also be manned by agents during working hours and will provide information on specific queries not answered by the IVRS.

Information about the different types of disabilities, diagnosis, intervention strategies, diagnostic and therapy centres, educational opportunities and list of special schools is available.

Callers can also glean details relevant to vocational training, job opportunities, special employment exchanges, government schemes and facilities, prevention and management of disabilities.

The line has been established by the Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for Hearing Handicapped (AYJNIHH), Mumbai.

The Minister also inaugurated the first of its kind early diagnosis and intervention centre for the hearing impaired set up by the State Commissionerate for the Disabled in Tamil Nadu.

At this centre, experts aim at screening and diagnosing a minimum of 50 children in the age group 0-5 years with hearing impairment every month.

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