• India accounts for 40% of the world’s second-largest cause of physical disability i.e lymphedema and hydrocele due to lymphatic filariasis.

• In 2018, GOI officially enabled its inclusion to physical disabilities enabling them to be beneficiaries of various national and state-level schemes designed for the betterment of persons with disability.

• some of the schemes of GOI are Saksham Scholarship, Post matric scholarship etc.,

• More than five years down the lane the state governments are unable to provide proper data on beneficiaries of the same which underscored that mere recognition and inclusion had not been translated to actual welfare.

• The Indian Council of Medical Research proposed a few strategies to overcome the barriers:

1.Inter-sectoral convergence involving disability rights department ,public health and social welfare etc.

2.Awareness and community engagement

3.Use of digital tools for record keeping ,development and usage of mobile apps etc.

4.Public Private Partnership to screen Lymphatic Filariasis patients and disability assessment

5.Advocacy needed for resource mobilization ,engagement of local and national stakeholders etc

6. Regular reviews and updates to review and overcome bottlenecks

7.Helplines and Information center establishment to improve  LF patients’ access to support.