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Visually
handicapped hit by tsunami ignored,
says researcher
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"Can you name even a
single event or organisation that was dedicated on behalf of
the visually handicapped tsunami victims in the aftermath of
the catastrophe?; asked Prof. Dr. Aurangzeb Hafi, a world
renowned epidemiological researcher.
Addressing the media at the Holiday Inn on Wednesday, he
said there were 100 organisations working in Sri Lanka with
relief work and about 500 post-tsunami projects were started
under their programmes.
"But not even an ordinary event, a single discussion or a
documentary was devoted to the visually handicapped caught
in the tsunami," Dr. Hafi said.
"In this scenario, Pakistan is the first country to come
forward with a complete strategic plan for the visually
handicapped among tsunami victims," Dr. Hafi said.
Dr. Hafi who was engaged in several fact finding surveys
during the last eight months in the aftermath of the
tsunami, has presented his brief summary of Tsunami Child
Retardation Risk Assessment and Management Projects (CRRA)
and (CRRM) for the attention of higher authorities including
WHO and UNICEF.
"In every field of work we have to see who has been left
behind. Disabled people are also a part of our society.
Raise your voice on behalf of these unborn babies, all under
five years and handicapped who can't raise their voice to
protect their rights and to save them from the risk of
multiple disability in the aftermath of tsunami," Dr. Hafi
requested.
E. M. Navaratne Sri Lanka Visually Handicapped Association (SLVHA),
President said: "We want to minimise the risk of anyone
going blind. At present there are two homes for the visually
handicapped in Hambantota and Godawaya. What SLVHA is asking
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