A quick study revealed that parents from low income families and rural areas are unable to take their babies for continuous therapy because of the need to go for their daily livelihood activities.
Chennai: To extend access to quality and consistent therapy support for babies with development deficiencies from low income families or semi-urban/rural areas, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamilnadu, Thiru M K Stalin flagged of Project “Vithai – Pediatric Therapy on Wheels”, an initiative of Varshini Illam Trust Project Vithai, the brain child of Founder Trustee, Ms P V Varshini, provides door step therapy services to babies in the 0-5 year age in low income and rural areas.
Varshini Illam Trust has built a mobile Therapy van which is fully equipped with all therapy equipment and therapists who are trained to provide therapy for small children. The therapies offered are Cognitive Therapy, Speech Therapy, Play Therapy, Spastic Relieving Therapy to Sensory Development Therapy, Social Wellbeing Therapy and Coordination Therapy. This bus has been generously funded by Aptus Value Housing Finance India Ltd.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. P N Vasudevan, MD CEO of Equitas Bank and a Trustee, said “Various Government studies indicate that about 2% of babies have some development deficiencies. A quick study revealed that parents from low income families and rural areas are unable to take their babies for continuous therapy because of the need to go for their daily livelihood activities. Project Vithai is for addressing this gap through door step therapy.”
S Sankara Raman, Secretary Amar Seva Sangam said, “Amar Seva has been providing such door step therapy for about 40 years in Tenkasi and nearby districts. We are supporting Varshini Illam Trust through training and our Enabling Inclusion® App as technology support to take these services to other districts of Tamilnadu” .
M Anandan, Founder and MD of Aptus Value Housing Finance India Ltd said, “We are happy to partner Varshini Illam Trust in this noble cause. Healthcare services to small babies is critical for a healthy society and this partnership helps us go one step closer to this dream”.
The dream of Ms P V Varshini is that this Project Vithai, with support from the Government and other donors, should touch and improve the quality of life of around 1000 babies over the next couple of years by taking free therapy services to their door step while also creating jobs for a large number of healthcare workers
This project is commencing in OMR, Chennai covering colonies such as Kannagi Nagar, Semmanchery, Ezhil Nagar, Perumbakkam etc.
