Caption: Minister of the People Social Development and Family Services Vandana Mohit
By Sue-Ann Wayow
THE National Therapeutic and Resource Centre for Persons with Disabilities (NTRC) at Carlsen Field should be operational soon.
Minister of the People, Social Development and Family Services Vandana Mohit met with Health Minister Dr Lackram Bodoe and other senior officials from the Ministry of Health to discuss the utilisation of the NTRC.
“The discussion focused on forging strategic collaboration to provide specialised clinical and therapeutic services at the facility, an initiative that will significantly enhance support for persons with disabilities across Trinidad and Tobago,” a release from the Social Development Ministry stated on Friday.
Both ministers toured the facility near the Chase Village Flyover and a popular turning point for motorists wanting to evade traffic lines.
Following a tour of the facility, which gave Dr Bodoe and his team a first-hand look at the layout and specialised equipment designed for both paediatric and adult clients, the two ministers discussed plans to sign a Memorandum of Understanding which would facilitate the provision of clinical and therapeutic services at the centre, the ministry stated.
The release stated, “The centre will play a vital role in enhancing the quality of life for persons living with disabilities, while also serving as a training ground for emerging professionals in therapy and social work.”
The meeting follows a similar meeting between the Social Development Ministry and the Ministry of Housing to provide specialised housing for extremely differently abled persons and the elderly.
In September 2023 an agreement for the centre was signed between government and the Digicel Foundation and it was officially launched on April 16, almost two weeks before the April 28 general election.
The former administration had said the use of the facility would be rolled out in two phases, phase one focusing on occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech and language pathology, and behavioural therapy.
Phase two will expand offerings to include art, music and aqua physiotherapy, along with psychological support.
