The Spinal Cord Society (SCS) has been formed for the advancement of management, training and research in spinal injuries.

At the behest of the SCS, a Consumer Committee has been formed with the aim of supporting SCS in promoting the welfare of persons with spinal cord injuries (PwSCI) through increased access to healthcare, rehabilitation services, education, employment and social integration. To this end, the Consumer Committee would:

1. Provide support to the SCS in gaining better understanding about needs and requirements of PwSCI
2. Act as a national support group for PwSCI

The Consumer Committee would depend on the Spinal Cord Society for infrastructure to
develop the capacity, resources, materials and information to effect change at the national level.

OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the Consumer Committee are:

1. Networking:
   1. To support the development of global SCI consumer groups through active networking and knowledge-sharing with international groups like ASCoN, ESCIF, etc., including through participation in international conferences and seminars.
   2. To promote knowledge-sharing with national groups and hospitals working for welfare of persons with spinal cord injuries.
2. Support group activities: Support the development of skills, tools and mechanisms aimed at the ratification / implementation of the disability laws of the land as well as the UNCRPD
   1. Awareness: To raise awareness throughout society, including at the family level, to foster respect for the rights and dignity of persons with spinal cord injuries, particularly for women and children. To promote awareness of the capabilities and contributions of persons with spinal cord injuries.
   2. Health: To promote development, communication and implementation of appropriate protocols and infrastructure to provide the highest attainable standard of health to persons with spinal cord injuries, without discrimination on the basis of disability. These health services should be provided as close as possible to people’s own communities, including rural areas. Such information can include (i) rehab information for healthy living, (ii) preventive measures for reducing occurrence and impact of spinal cord injuries, (iii) developments enabled by research around the world.
   3. Research: To promote and communicate research in treatments and methods for improving physiological function and quality of life for persons with spinal cord injuries, including stem cell research Should we mention this right away?
   4. Aids and equipment: To promote development and provision of cost-effective and high-quality aids, implements and equipment to ensure personal mobility with the greatest possible independence for persons with spinal cord injuries.
   5. Access: To promote accessibility in public spaces through advocacy with governments and private organisations, to ensure that persons with spinal cord injuries can live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life on an equal basis with others, both in urban and in rural areas.
   6. Education: To promote education for persons with spinal cord injuries within the general education system. This commitment includes, where appropriate, provision of adequate access.
   7. Employment: To promote employment opportunities for persons with spinal cord injuries, on an equal basis with others such that they live with dignity.
   8. Social life and recreation: To promote integration of persons with spinal cord society into mainstream social life, to take part on an equal basis with others in cultural life, sports and recreation.
   9. Statistics and Data Collection: To promote development of appropriate statistics about persons with spinal cord injury to enable formulation and implementation of plans and protocols that help achieve the objectives of Consumer Committee.

NEEDS
The Consumer Committee will try to address the various needs of PwSCI, including:

1. Information
1. Complete knowledge about the impact of injury, possible complications and how to handle them (including prevention and care)
2. Information on ADLs (activities of daily living)
3. Information bank about rehab protocols, exercise regimes, practical guidance regarding day-on-day issues
4. Newsletters and other communication media, including in having the same Hindi and local languages because English is a barrier in many areas
5. Helplines which PwSCI can call for information and medical assistance
6. Databank of available government policies, resources and benefits
7. Information of available speciality hospitals, rehab centres, medical resources, NGOs and oranisations
2. General awareness and sensitization in society
3. Network of mentors, including well rehabilitated patients especially from villages
4. Training and provision of caregivers
5. Accessibility in public spaces and private buildings
6. Cost-effective and high-quality aids and equipment
7. Provision of general and specialized health services
1. Creation of “Spinal Cells” in existing government and private hospitals. It is not possible to create multiple dedicated spinal injury hospitals, but is possible to create 20-bed cells for spinal injuries in existing hospitals, to begin with in district clusters and later in each district
2. Advocate that medical staff have rotational duties in spinal hospitals and cells, in different areas of the respective units. This will ensure that (i) individuals have wide ranging experience and can provide better healthcare to SCIs, and (ii) we have many people trained for each skill-set and hospitals will not be dependent on few people for a particular job
8. Employment and financial assistance
9. Networking with other organizations across the world and in India, and networking with other rehab centers in India who are providing SCI care.
1. Networking and lobbying with Government for promotion of access, health services, employment and education

ACTIVITIES
To help achieve the objectives listed above, the Consumer Committee will carry out the
following activities:

1. Promote and organize local, regional and state wise chapters
2. Network with national and global organizations working for the welfare of PwSCI
3. Promote, carry out and assist in research, surveys and investigations into the problems of people with SCI
4. Arrange, organize and/ or promote exhibitions, meetings, lectures, classes and training courses aimed at creating awareness of the PwSCI and causes of spinal cord injuries among the public at large
5. Collect, publish and distribute information regarding the problems, welfare and issues pertaining to SCI and their management to the PwSCI and others interested in providing care and support to PwSCI
6. Provide legal advice to PwSCI pertaining to their rights, lobby with the government on issues concerning the SCIPs and associate with other organizations fighting for the rights of PwSCI
7. Establish, maintain and manage a Library / Information centre for dissemination of information

The founding members of the Consumer Committee are:

1	Mr Shivjeet Raghav	President Shivjeet Singh Raghav Peer Counselor & Patient Education Coordinator Indian Spinal Injuries Centre Sector - C, Vasantkunj New Delhi - 110070 Email :  [email protected] Mobile : 98101 98406
2	Ms Chandra Rama Rao	General Secretary Secretary of the Spinal Cord Society Consumer Committee
3	Dr Komal Kamra	Member Komal Kamra, 57, teaches Zoology at SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi. Her research interests revolve around eukaryotic microbiology. She is an active member of the Equal Opportunity Cell of the University looking after the interests of the physically challenged students. She does honorary peer counselling at the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre. Despite having traumatic paraplegia (level D8) since 1993, she loves to live life king size.
4	Mr Nitin Goyal	Member Nitin has been a volunteer peer counsellor with ISIC since 2003. An SCI veteran, he works as a senior finance professional with an MNC.
5	Mr Manoj Dawar	Member I own a salon & gym in Lajpat Nagar for the past 12 years. My injury is 23 years old. My association with People suffering from SCI has been for the past 15 years. I visit the rehabilitation department in Safdarjung hospital to counsel people with SCI.
6	Mr Muninder Singh Nanda	Member
7	Mr Rajiv Virat	Member I am proud owner of multiple sclerosis and have been a wheelchair user since 1999. I am an avid sportsman ever since used to be a soccer player and now i am a wheelchair athlete. I have been working at ISIC as Peer Wheelchair Skills Instructor and Sports Coordinator.
8	Ms Pragya Gildyal	Member An exquisite And Elegant Individual , spreading Bliss with Effervescene and Compassion, adjusting medical care with yoga, Meditation and Counseling...
9	Mr Mohit Soni	Member
10	Mr. Dilip Patro	Member Director & Founder Secretary of "The Ability People" SashiRaj Palace, # 49-27-10, Madhura Nagar, Near Seethammapeta Junction, Visakhapatnam-530 016. Andhra Pradesh. INDIA. Phone: 91-891-271-4400 Helpline:85 00 36 57 36 Mobile: 91 77 36 36 00 Web Site: www.theabilitypeople.org E-mail ID: [email protected]
11	Mr. Javed Ahmad Tak	Member Pamposh Mohalla Bijbehara Anantnag Jammu & Kashmir, India – 192124 E-mail: [email protected] Contact No.s 09469064964, 01932-233129 09906537577
12	Ms. Ketna	Member NINA FOUNDATION 240/11, Shankar Sadan, 1st Floor, Sion (E), Mumbai - 400 022 telephone : +91-22-2409 4319, +91-22-2407 1952 E-mail : [email protected],             [email protected] website : ninafoundation.org blog : indianinafoundation.blogspot.com
13	Mr. Parvinder Singh	Member President of The Spinal Cord Injury Association 6A/153 New Vijay Nagar Jalandhar City - 144001 Email: [email protected] Website : scia.org.in

The Consumer Committee can be contacted at:

Shivjeet Singh Raghav
Peer Counselor & Patient Education Coordinator
Indian Spinal Injuries Centre
Sector - C, Vasantkunj
New Delhi - 110070
Email :  [email protected]
Mobile : 98101 98406