National Institute for the Orthopaedically Handicapped (NIOH), Calcutta

National Institute for the Orthopaedically Handicapped was established in Calcutta in 1978 taking over from the Government of West Bengal the land and building of the erstwhile Kumar P.N. Roy Group of Hospitals. It was registered as an autonomous body in April 1982 under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.

Objectives

The main objectives of the Institute are to undertake manpower development, to provide services to the orthopaedically handicapped, to develop model services for the orthopaedically handicapped, to conduct and sponsor research and to provide rehabilitation services to the orthopaedically handicapped.

Manpower Development

To carry out the human resources and manpower development through training, the Institute undertakes the following programmes:

Long Term Programme

The Institute undertakes the following long-term courses:
  • Bachelor of Physiotherapy (3 years and 6 months, capacity - 20).
  • Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (3 years and 6 months, capacity - 20).
  • Diploma in Prosthetic & Orthotic Engineering (2 years and 6 months, capacity - 20).
  • Bachelor in Prosthetic & Orthotic Engineering (3 years and 6 months, capacity - 20).

Short Term Programmes

Every year 12-15 short courses are conducted for in-service, doctors, therapists, orthotists, prosthetists, social workers, psychologists, vocational counsellors, nurses. These courses vary from 2 to 5 days and 20-25 professionals attend these programmes from NGOs and Government Organisations. These courses are provided free of cost. The Institute also conducts an 8-week course on Rehabilitation for doctors as a regular feature since 1994 along with a large number of awareness Programmes on Prevention of Disability.

The number of Short Courses/Workshops/Seminars conducted for rehabilitation professionals are as follows :

Programmes Conducted
Year      Number
1991-9216
1992-9312
1993-9416

Services

The Institute provides following services for persons with locomotor disability for rehabilitation:
  • Assessment
  • Physiotherapy
  • Occupational therapy
  • Restorative Surgery
  • Orthotic and Prosthetic
  • In-Patient services
  • Vocational counselling
  • Diagnostic services
  • Consultancy
  • Polio Immunisation.
  • Library and Information Services
  • The Department of Library and Information meets the information requirements of staff, students, researchers, professionals working in the field of rehabilitation of persons with disability.

Outreach Programme

The details of the camps held for the distribution of aids/appliances to the orthopaedically handicapped are as under:

Details of Camps Organised
Year1991-921992-931993-94
Camps341633
Beneficiaries346112233713

Ongoing Programmes

Some of the research programmes undertaken by the Institute are as follows:
  • A project on Development of Rubber Orthotic and Prosthetic Rehabilitation Aids for the Locomotor Handicapped.
  • A project on Epidemeological Study of Awareness in the Parents.
  • Development of Material for Creation of Awareness in the Parents.
  • Project on Low Temperature Thermoplastic Orthosis.
  • National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research (NIRTAR), Cuttack
  • The National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research (NIRTAR) has been serving the disabled from rural Orissa at Olatpur, 35 kms from Bhubaneswar/Cuttack, since 1975.

    It was started as an adjunct Unit of ALIMCO, Kanpur. NIRTAR was registered in 1984 under Societies Registration Act 1860 under the administrative control of the Ministry of Welfare, Government of India.
The main aims and objective of the Institute are to undertake, sponsor or coordinate training programmes for the rehabilitation personnel for the orthopaedically handicapped, to conduct research on bio-medical engineering, surgical or medical procedures for orthopaedically handicapped and to render rehabilitation services for the orthopaedically handicapped.

In addition, to promote the use of ALIMCO products, to promote, distribute, subsidise the manufacture of prototype designed aids and appliances, to develop models of service delivery programmes for rehabilitation, to undertake vocational training, placement and rehabilitation of the physically handicapped, to document and disseminate information on disability and rehabilitation.

Manpower Development

Long-term Courses

The Institute runs the following academic programmes :
  • B.Sc (Hons.) in Physiotherapy (3 years and 6 months, capacity - 20).
  • B.Sc (Hons.) in Occupational Therapy (3 years and 6 months, capacity - 20).
  • Diploma Course in Prosthetic and Orthotic Engineering (2 years and 6 months, capacity - 20).
  • Diploma in National Board Examination (2 seats).

Short-term Courses

To motivate the professionals/NGOs and to update their knowledge, the Institute conducts short-orientation courses in rehabilitation and continuing medical education programmes.

Rehabilitation Services

Patients with locomotor/orthopaedic disabilities due to poliomyelitis, cerebral palsy, congenital deformities, leprosy, etc. and hearing handicapped are treated and rehabilitated. Patients requiring artificial limbs and other rehabilitation aids and appliances are provided with the same to prevent the impairment leading to disability and to make the patients near normal and to carry on their routine activities for daily living.

The Institute has a 100 bedded hospital with all the latest gadgets and equipments for assessment, reconstructive surgery, micro-surgery, speech therapy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy.

Outreach Programmes

The rehabilitation services for the handicapped are strengthened by holding Rehabilitation Camps in the tribal and interior districts of Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir, etc. These camps (6 to 8 in a year) are arranged in collaboration with district authorities and voluntary organisations.

Research Activities

The Institute has been introducing techniques in surgical corrections, treatment modalities, designing new and modifying the existing rehabilitation aids and appliances. Over the last few years several rehabilitation aids, including multipurpose orthosis for paralysed children, have been developed. It received the National Technology Award in 1993.

Information and Documentation

The Central Medical/Technical Library has 3400 latest books on various facts of disability, rehabilitation and allied subjects. Over 90 foreign journals have been subscribed. There is a good collection of Audio-Visual aids and Teaching Models. Reference Services, literature on disability and awareness services, etc. are also provided.

A 20-minute Documentary 'A Brave New World' in English and Hindi (16mm colour and video file) and three T.V. spots on Childhood Disability with financial assistance from UNICEF have been produced.

Awareness Program me

Two films on NIRTAR, one in English and the other in Oriya have been made. A film on Polio has been made and telecast from Doordarshan. The Institute has also developed pamphlets and booklets to generate awareness.