Focus on new treatment at rehab centre |14 July 2008

The tour by various groups was one of the activities held to mark National Day for Persons with Disabilities.

Opened in 1982, the centre provides rehabilitation services – ranging from speech therapy to prosthetics – for people born with a disability as well as those who later develop one.

Apart from all the services already offered, the centre now has an information technology room to teach the patients how to use computers. These and other equipment were donated by a man planning to move to Seychelles soon with his disabled daughter.

Minister for Health and Social Development Marie-Pierre Lloyd said her ministry decided to make the rehab centre one that deals with all health matters under one roof.

However, she said this does not mean people with disabilities are obliged to go to North East Point as some of the services are available at their local health centres.

The vocational component of the centre – where the patients learn arts and crafts to earn a living – is now run by the National Council for the Disabled (NCD) in the building next to the main rehab offices.

Air Seychelles’ social club made a donation to the NCD immediately after the tour of the centre. The undisclosed sum, from fundraising activities, was handed over by public relations manager Glenn Pillay to the council’s chairperson, Helen Maiche.

The rehab centre also offers its services to people in the northern regions such as Beau Vallon, where they do not have the necessary treatment facilities.