Anfaal (middle) at the launch of the Cerebral Palsy Care Unit programme.
THE Selangor government has introduced the Cerebral Palsy Care Unit (CPCU) programme to improve the daily care of children with the condition.
The programme aims to ease the burden of parents or legal guardians of children with CP, a group of disorders that affect a person’s ability to move, balance and maintain posture.
Applications for the programme, which offers 30 spots per term, are now open online.
Three terms will be held annually and the first term will start in August this year.
The CPCU is under the care of state agencies Anak Istimewa Selangor (Anis) and Yayasan Warisan Anak Selangor which is overseen by the Mentri Besar’s office.
State women, family empowerment, welfare and care economy committee chairman Anfaal Saari launched the programme at Bangunan Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz in Shah Alam, Selangor.
“Children with cerebral palsy need long-term care and they have physical disabilities.
“Commonly, one of the parents will have to sacrifice their career because the child needs round-the-clock care.
“They need a lot of support and this programme is to help ease the burden of the parents,” said Anfaal.
The first part of the three-phase CPCU series will train parents or legal guardians in the proper handling of children with CP, a disorder that affects about 2 to 2.5 children per 1,000 live births.
In the second phase, the children’s primary caregivers will be able to loan programme equipment needed for CP management.
“The CP children often outgrow their equipment and this poses a great cost to the parents.
“Now that they are able to loan these from the programme, we hope that it will be helpful,” added Anfaal.
In the third phase, the children will be able to undergo CP treatment by healthcare experts.
This will consist of physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy.
Among the programme application requirements are a medical diagnosis of CP and supporting documents for the child aged 18 and below.
Also, at least one parent or legal guardian must be a Selangor voter.
Anfaal said the state was concerned over the plight of children with CP as she had seen first-hand the sacrifices endured by their primary caregivers.
For more information, visit www.anisselangor.com/cpcuanis or email jabatananis@yawas.my
