Dakshina Kannada administration to relook at physiotherapy services by mobile units

Expressing dissatisfaction over physiotherapy services by a firm operating four mobile health units for bedridden endosulfan victims, Deputy Commissioner K.V. Rajendra said he will have a relook at the services and ensure victims get regular physiotherapy sessions

January 19, 2022 06:22 pm | Updated 06:22 pm IST - MANGALURU

Expressing dissatisfaction over physiotherapy services by a firm operating four mobile health units for bedridden endosulfan victims, Deputy Commissioner K.V. Rajendra on Monday said he will have a relook at the services and ensure victims get regular physiotherapy sessions.

During a meeting to review welfare measures for endosulfan victims, activist Ravindranath Shanbhag said the mobile units operating in the district are not meeting the physiotherapy needs of victims.

“In a reply to an RTI application, the District Health and Family Welfare Officer said in 2018 that there are no equipment in the vehicles for conducting physiotherapy sessions. In the absence of equipments and necessary expertise, how can visits by the mobile units help victims,” he asked.

The parent of a bedridden victim said physiotherapy sessions by the mobile unit personnel did not help his son.

The Bengaluru-based firm operating the mobile units said it is providing physiotherapy services twice a month to 209 bedridden victims in Dakshina Kannada. Each vehicle has a physiotherapist, a staff nurse, and an attendant and there are necessary instruments to perform sessions, firm’s representative said.

Dr. Rajendra said two physiotherapy sessions per month will not help victims. “We are spending ₹1.15 lakh per month on each of these units. I will have a relook (on this facility). We should have a regular physiotherapy service for victims,” he said. He asked Bantwal Taluk Health Officer Deepa to submit a report by February 17 about usage of physiotherapy unit in Bantwal Taluk hospital and whether its services can be extended to meet the needs of victims.

Responding favourably to a demand for a house by Ismail, father of endosulfan victim Mohammed Adil from Uppinangady, Dr. Rajendra asked officials to get from village accountants list of victims who are houseless. “Endosulfan victims should get priority in house allotment,” he said.

Dr. Rajendra said he will pursue with the State Government about establishing permanent endosulfan victim rehabilitation centre.

On the reported dumping of endosulfan by Plantation Corporation Kerala near Nettanige Mudnoor of Puttur taluk on the Karnataka-Kerala border, Dr. Rajendra said he recently wrote a letter to his counterpart in Kasaragod seeking action. “I am informing the same to Karnataka State Legal Services Authority and asking it to pursue the matter with Kerala State Legal Services Authority,” he said.

Member Secretary of Dakshina Kannada Legal Services Authority Pruthviraj Vernekar was present.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.