A Special Olympics Healthy Athletes – Train the trainer (TTT) was conducted on 16 and 17 November 2019 at the Frank Anthony Public School New Delhi, across the five disciplines of Fit feet, Healthy Hearing, Health Promotion, Opening Eyes and Special Smiles. Approx. 10 persons in each of the five disciplines from the medical fraternity were trained as Clinical Directors in that specific discipline. The seminar consisted of a one day didactic program and the next day on site screening program. The program was supported by the youth volunteers and “Athlete Leaders” of Special Olympics Bharat (who trained as Health Messengers).
A Clinical Director (CD) is an individual who volunteers to lead a Special Olympics Healthy Athletes program in a particular discipline. Minimum of a three year commitment to serve as a volunteer Clinical Director is mandatory before confirmation of training opportunity.
The five disciplines were led by the following Resource:
| Name | Discipline | Designation |
| Dr Reena R Kumar | Special Smiles (Dental) | Regional Clinical Advisor- India |
| Dr Prithi Rekhi | Opening Eyes (Eye care and vision) | Regional Clinical Advisor- India |
| Dr Subhash Chandra | Fit Feet (Podiatry) | Regional Clinical Advisor- India |
| Dr Veenu Seth | Health Promotion (Nutrition and blood pressure etc) | Regional Clinical Advisor- India |
| Nunu Nomonde Mtshazo | Healthy Hearing (audiology) | Regional Clinical Advisor- South Africa |
Dipak Natali, Acting President and Managing Director, Special Olympics Asia Pacific, “For many of us, seeing a doctor or seeking any kind of medical assistance can be an intimidating and daunting experience. For many people with intellectual disabilities, this feeling can be even more acute. The issue is compounded by the stigma that people with ID face in the wider society, and they may end up not seeing a doctor at all, leading to all sorts of longer-term medical problems that may well have been avoided. Special Olympics Healthy Athletes offers people with intellectual disabilities a chance to see a trained medical professional and access healthcare on their own terms. Activities and workshops like the one being conducted in Delhi seek to train healthcare professionals so that they can better communicate and engage with people with ID, making sure that their healthcare needs don’t get ignored. We are thankful to all of the wonderful volunteers who will make this event a success and we look forward to the continued involvement of all of the healthcare professionals who have been trained as they go forth to ensure that the healthcare needs of people with intellectual disabilities are met.”
Quote from Air Marshal Denzil Keelor PVSM, KC, AVSM, VrC, Founder & CEO SO Bharat, said, While on one side the Health care of Special Athletes remains neglected, on the other the health professionals remain unaware and unprepared to examine persons with specifically, Intellectual Disabilities, further diminishing chances of health care. The greatest challenge remains in the fact that most of the Athletes are unable to communicate their discomfort or their condition or in some cases even express pain. I am delighted to see the interest and sensitization amongst the medical experts to reach out to this extremely marginalized segment of the society and increasing their chances of achieving greater heights and a healthier lifestyle.
Disclaimer:
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a health advice. We would ask you to consult a qualified professional or medical expert to gain additional knowledge before you choose to consume any product or perform any exercise.
