Publication:

Assessment of district early intervention centres in India

India has the largest number of children between the ages of 0-18 years globally with a child population of over 400 million. Developmental delays affect a minimum 10% of preschool children, preventing them from reaching their full development potential. The studies to estimate the prevalence of disability and its association with socio-demographic and quality of life may provide valuable information for optimizing how health and social welfare organizations deal with morbidities. The paper concludes with a discussion that reflects on the functionary status of district early intervention centre (DEICs) in India and finds out the gaps in the referral system of DEICs combined with a general reflection on the utility of the rapid cycle evaluation model used. There is the scope of the country-level uniformity of reporting of the data of children with delayed development and disabilities. The policymakers should notice that early intervention can reduce the burden of disease and disability‑adjusted life years (DALYs) and improve the quality of life of the next young generation of India.