An innovative Disability Screening app developed by MJF Charitable Foundation in partnership with Millennium IT ESP, launched on World Cerebral Palsy Day, and said to be the first of its kind globally, has been awarded the Inclusion Changemaker 2021 Microsoft Global Award.
Explaining what the new App is and why it was developed Head of Rehabilitation Services, MJF Charitable Foundation,Dr Gopi Kiitnasamy told the Sunday Observer , “ The pandemic lockdown in March 2020 had devastating effects for vulnerable communities including children with disabilities in Sri Lanka. With limited mobility, they are especially vulnerable due to the resulting respiratory issues.
What we at the MJF Charitable Foundation did was to enhance existing services provided prior to the pandemic and introduce innovative digital alternatives that reduced the disruption of therapy, education and holistic life skills for children with disabilities including those on plantations and other remote parts of Sri Lanka with access to online services to continue their education, therapy and support their overall wellbeing” he said.
“During the Covid-19 lockdown, the MJFCF’s multidisciplinary team introduced tele-therapy and tele-education services for the 450 students registered at our four centres and after seeing the benefits of it, we decided to expand this service to the children in all districts of Sri Lanka. The new App offers an invaluable tele-screening and therapy services for children with disabilities. It is a step by step guidance for the families and is designed in a way that it can be used by any Lankan as it is available in Sinhala, Tamil and English.
Health benefits
It is available for both android and I-phones and is available free to download on the Google Play and App Store,” he added Asked to highlight the main health benefits for the users especially children with disabilities, he said that “Children are especially vulnerable as undetected disabilities in their early years and delays in rehabilitative initiatives can lead to delays in development.
Early identification can help foster stimulating environments where families, healthcare, and education professionals are better prepared to support the development, inclusion, and active participation of children with disabilities. The disABILITY App will bridge the gap between the families with persons with disabilities and will help provide the services remotely. It helps in screening and identifying children with developmental disabilities around the country,. Registering in the disABILITY Screening App helps to identify and plan for the needs of the child/adult with disabilities and to provide their families with relevant information, advice and support targeted directly to their needs. “.
Goals/Objectives
Explaining the goals and objectives of the new Screening App, he told Medi Snips, “It aims to share knowledge, therapies and services for people with disability especially children in regions of Sri Lanka where access to transport, regular therapy and other services are limited.
The app provides a platform for these families to access and connect to specialsed support services such as guided disability and development screening, referral services to connect them with Paediatricians and other experts, early identification and intervention, and tele-therapeutic, educational, and rehabilitation assistance, mobility aids support including special paediatric wheelchairs, allowing caregivers to monitor progress with the guidance from MJF Charitable Foundation’s multidisciplinary team. “