Srinagar, May 01 (KINS): Humanity Welfare Organisation Helpline has been providing nutritional help to needy amid COVID-19 lockdown.
A statement of the organization issued to news agency KINS said since April 3, Humanity Welfare organisation Helpline started nutritional help programme after seeking lists from local Masjid committees.
“460 families were identified from urban areas of Bijbehara town. Most of the families were headed by persons doing low paid jobs, like hair cutting, passenger vehicle drivers, cobblers, constructional laborers and vendors. The procurement of material like spices, dal, cooking oil, salt, tea, soaps etc was done and packed. 460 families were catered upto 15th of April,” the statement said.
The second phase was focused on the families possessing or headed persons with disabilities.
“One hundred such families were given the nutritional help. Around 70 children were also given nutritional help. Besides cases of persons with disabilities were pleaded for their safe arrival to home who were struck in different parts of country. A wheelchair user person was not getting ATM card his case was taken up with J&K bank and within 24 hours his ATM card was issued,” the statement said.
It says that 10 persons with severe disabilities were helped financially and money was transferred into their bank accounts.
“Catheters urine bags were given to persons facing severe disabilities. 12 children with disabilities from Bandipora were linked with red cross section through ACR Bandipora. Masks were distributed among children,” it reads.
“20 families with low economic capacities and headed by widows were linked with Sajid Iqbal foundation and these got immediate nutritional support. Important issues faced by children and persons with disabilities were brought into the notice of concern departments and ministry at central level. These include the process of development of the persons with disabilities got hampered in COVID19. Various persons with disabilities are suffering a lot. Hemophilia and thalassemia affected persons with disabilities need antihemophilic factors and continuous blood infusions, which they are not getting due to non availability in locality and due to immense poverty. The government has failed to create support system,” the statement said.
The children dependent on psychiatry and anti epileptic medicines also are on course that means they need these medicines continuously but these medicines are not available due to lockdown in the locality and no transportation available thus no parent reaches to the actual medical shop where these medicines are available.
“The persons with disabilities who need the diapers, catheters, urine bags, disposable sheets, bandages, cotton, antibiotic medicines and many other things. These items are not available due to lockdown and due to caretakers not having money in hand because these days source of income has shrunk and the persons with high support needs facing severe disabilities suffer a lot,” it reads.
“Although government has given advance ISSS pension for three months that is Rs 3000/- for three months in J&K. But due to expensive life the money has almost spent on various needs including feeding. The government should provide Rs 5000/- special grant in the accounts of persons with disabilities so that atleast medicines and nutritional needs are met. There should be a special helpline for the persons with disabilities on which pwds can float their challenges and narrate the problems and needs, so that they are helped out in time,” it says.
The statement reads that the working man power of persons with disabilities in private sector should not get terminated but given full leave till the situation of pandemic is over.
“The persons with hearing and speech disabilities face immense problems as there is lack of communication, they are at the verge of falling prey to COVID-19. Thus a special programme on all TV channels mobile networks need to start to provide them full information about the consequences of infection. Government has starting virtual classes through internet based meeting forums thus children facing communication barrier and children belonging to poor economic backgrounds are still left in this race. Persons with disabilities heading the huge family are out of money and rations. These families need to be helped out continuous basis.”(KINS)
