Chennai: Funds to the tune of Rs 2.21 crore have been allocated to the Government Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine and Hospital for the year 2014-2015, said minister for health, medical education and family welfare Dr C. Vijaya Baskar, on Wednesday, International Day of the Differently Abled and golden jubilee of the Artificial Limb Centre here. Of the total funds allocated, Rs1.80 crore will be spent on constructing a Gait Lab in which human motion can be studied by measuring body movements, body mechanics and the activity of the muscles, he added.
The lab can be used to evaluate the manner or style of walking of the affected person to study the exact problem for treatment. The rest of the funds would be used to purchase prosthetic equipment. Differently abled persons account for 2.51 per cent of the population in the country, and it is as little as 1.75 per cent in the state, said Dr Vijaya Baskar, a fact that was due to better rehabilitation and awareness among the people.
Health secretary Dr J. Radhakrishnan, director of Medical Education Dr S. Geethalakshmi and Dr C. Ramesh, head of the institution, were also present on the occasion.
The Centre had 17,766 out patients this year, while 150 minor procedures were done and 1,469 orthotic and prosthetic appliances were issued.
