Awareness session regarding using a white cane for persons with visual impairment.

An awareness session regarding using a white cane for persons with visual impairment was held on August 29 & 30, 2022, at the National Institute of Special Education (NISE) H-8/4, Islamabad. The Department of Community Medicine organised the visit. Students of the Class of 2025 and members of Team 2 in the Special Senses Module attended this event. The session was designed especially for undergraduate medical students to create awareness regarding the practical use of a white cane.  

The senior staff and faculty of NISE addressed the students. Director of Special Education, Mrs Tasnim Waheed, started the event with a welcome note and an introductory lecture on different special educational institutes in the public sector, Islamabad. Mobility instructor Mr Muhammad Saleem spoke about mobility in visually impaired persons. This was followed by the demonstration of using a white cane for the mobility of visually impaired persons by Senior Mobility Instructor Mr Jabbar Khan and Mrs Naheed Kausar. They showed indoor/outdoor mobility techniques. Students actively participated in the practical demonstration. Officer Incharge / Mobility Instructor Mr Taimoor Imran spoke about the daily living skills and displayed various sports items used by visually impaired children. In the end, Dr Sajida Naseem, Acting Head of Department & Associate Professor of Community Medicine, SCM, wrapped up the session and thanked the administration of NISE.

The message conveyed to the medical students was that little effort from health professionals can be very helpful in improving the mobility and quality of life of visually impaired persons.