Bhubaneswar: Caring can be a rewarding role but at the same time it may have negative impact on physical, mental, emotional, social and economic wellbeing of caregivers. In low and middle income countries, there are a very few NGOs or government organisations which provide support to the carers in view of the fact that they are often neglected.
This was revealed at a workshop organised at NCSCDA, Bhubaneswar to discuss the issues and challenges faced by the differently-abled and their caregivers. “Carers are the invisible army of people who keep everything going. They are amongst us but we don’t have eyes to see them,” said Anil Patil, founder member of Carers Worldwide, a UK based organisation. The workshop was a collaborative effort by State Commission for Person with Disabilities (SCPD), Carers Worldwide and Rengunwala Foundation India Trust and SPREAD, EKTA and WORD from Koraput district.
The objective of the workshop was to deliberate upon the issues and challenges faced by the carers, analyse different policies of the state government for the differently-abled and their carers, share the experience of the works done by SPREAD, EKTA, WORD in Koraput district with cares and differently-abled from the ground.
The workshop revealed that carers face multipronged challenges and it is essential that the hard work and sacrifice of the carers be recognised in the society. Both government and non-government organisations need to work collaboratively in this endeavour.
Chaitan Naragi, a member of Baipariguda Carers Association, said, “There is no scheme to support the carers in Odisha. The state government needs to come up with a scheme in line with Karnataka to provide regular economic support to the carers.”
Speaking at the workshop, Bidyut Mohanty from SPREAD said that the guideline for spending 5 per cent of fund at gram panchayat level for the differently-abled should be strictly implemented.
SCPD chairperson Sulochana Das said that 86 per cent of caregivers are women and that she would take up the issues of allowances and schemes for the carers with the state government and SSEPD department. It was decided in the workshop that there is need for a Carers Association at state level and there should be a ‘Carers’ Day’ to give recognition and identity to caregivers.
