ROURKELA: After suffering from cerebral stroke three years back, 45-year-old Gangadhar Sa was left with severe hemiplegia, a condition which completely paralysed the left side of his body. But six weeks after undergoing robotic rehabilitation therapy at the advanced rehabilitation centre, Sa is on road to recovery.
The state-of-the-art centre was set up on the premises of Sundargarh district headquarters hospital on July 15 this year. Since then, it has brought hope to many trauma victims and persons with disabilities.
In-Charge of the centre Dr CM Shankar said Sa was admitted with the condition of hand power-4 category and gait disorder with left leaning. With robot-assisted training and home programme, he witnessed 80 per cent recovery and is now able to move his shoulder, hands and legs.
Sa said he is happy with the improvement and hopeful of complete recovery. Similarly, 18-year-old cerebral palsy patient Dipa Sahu is also getting advanced physiotherapy for spastic quadriplegia.
Dr Shankar said with severe muscular weaknesses, she can only walk short distance with jerking of all four limbs. She is responding well to robotic rehabilitation therapy.
He said the centre is equipped with computer-aided design and manufacturing system which is beneficial for trauma conditions like stroke, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, lower limb amputations, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, broken legs or pelvis, joint replacements, muscular dystrophy or other musculoskeletal disorders.
Another patient 21-year-old Asit Prasad, an aspiring engineer, lost all hope of standing again after amputation of both his legs due to an accidental electrocution in July 2019. “After undergoing treatment at the centre, I have regained confidence and hope to chase my dream with the help of prosthetic limbs,” he said.
The centre, set up under the Social Security and Empowerment Department at a cost of Rs 13 crore from the District Mineral Foundation, also caters to adjacent districts.
So far, it has benefitted 31 persons with robotic rehabilitation therapy, prosthosis and orthosis. Sundargarh Collector Nikhil Pawan Kalyan said the centre has brought exceptional changes in the lives of victims of neurological disorders.