Maharashtra to get First Voice And Speech Diagnostic And Rehabilitation Centre

Pune: For the first time in Maharashtra, the state will have a voice and speech diagnostic and rehabilitation centre at the Sassoon General Hospital (SGH). The clinic will be established as part of the ENT (ear-nose-throat) department of the hospital and is scheduled to launch on Thursday.

Dr Sameer Joshi, head of the ENT department at SGH told HT, "This will be the first voice and speech diagnostic and treatment clinic in any government hospital in the state. The centre will be launched on Thursday. We will be dealing with speech and voice diagnosis and rehab services. The new centre will have much-advanced technology like the slow-motion video to identify vocal cord motions and find minute details and these services will be available for people of any age who have a problem with their voice or those who have speech problems and who are dependent on their speech for a living such as teachers, singers, orators or preachers. We will also attend to speech-related problems in kids like stammering or any problems related to voice or speech will be diagnosed and attended to." 

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"Any change in a voice like hoarseness can be treated at our center. Most often, the patient himself or herself is not aware of the voice-related issues and with this centre, we could attend to it. Even now, we do treat voice-related problems however this will be more advanced. For example, we do videoscopy which currently is rapid wherein the faults can be identified because of the expertise of the person but with the new machinery being provided through CSR, we will be able to identify the faults and scars as it will be in slow motion which cannot be seen by the naked eye. So this will be the higher version of the routine treatment. Although this scar may not matter much to a teacher, it may make a huge difference to a singer. In that case, we can diagnose it at the centre and suggest surgery if required. Any change of voice which could be bothering the person could be analysed at our centre in a very objective manner," he added.

Under a corporate social responsibility (CSR) project, the centre will be established and CSR will provide modern machinery. The hospital will be home to eight ENT surgeons.

Further explaining Dr Joshi said "Each patient will take up about two hours for speech therapy which may take days or months. The centre will be available every Monday and Thursday and the registration will stop by 12 noon. The registration will take place at OPD number 70 and then the patient will be referred to the new building. We could begin with six people per week in the beginning."

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According to Punekar news, Dr Vinayak Kale, dean of Sasson hospital told, "This clinic has been installed with a fund of Rs 70 lakh donated by Rotary Club of Pune Katraj and other social organizations with an outlook of social service. Citizens from economically weaker sections will be benefited from this facility. This clinic has highly sophisticated equipment with the help of which a very early stage diagnosis of larynx cancer is possible. Rehabilitation by speech therapy, surgery and other treatments are made available here."

President Pushkaraj Mulay said, "This clinic has been installed under the 'Rotary Saksham 2.0' program as a part of a global grant project. Rotary Club of Beecroft (Australia), Rotary club of Pelotas Sulestte (Brazil), Rotary Club of Kampala North (Uganda), Rotary Club of East Nassau (Bahamas), along with Rotary club of Sahawas, Rotary club of Pune Shaniwarwada, Rotary Club of Koregaon Park Pune, Rotary Club of Pune Heritage, Rotary Club of Poona Downtown from Pune are partners in this project. 'Taikisha Engineering India' has also contributed generously to this clinic which is being installed in the memory of the late Natwarlal A. Makwana. "

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He further added, "Based on need assessment, this project was conceptualised in January 2020. Actual work began after the Rotary Foundation approved this project in October 2021. The rotary club will take care of maintenance for the first three years and Sassoon hospital will maintain it thereafter, according to an MOU signed with Sassoon Hospital. Various community awareness programs will also be conducted for awareness about these disorders and treatments to reach a wider number of beneficiaries across India."

The press conference was attended by Rotary club secretary Rupali Bajaj, Meena Ghalsasi - Rotary Foundation, project director Vivek Kulkarni, district governor Dhanashri Jog and ENT Department head Dr Sameer Joshi, Dr Vinayak Kale, Dean – Sassoon Hospital, and Rtn. Pushkaraj Mulay – President, Rotary Club of Pune Katraj.

Pankaj Shah, the Rotary District Governor, will be the chief guest, along with Hemant Makwana, managing director of Taikisha Engineering India.