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Vitafluence & ADAT launch NEIS (Neurodiverse Early Intervention Scholarship) to scale access to therapies for children

Starting in Kenya, the program will enable access to consistent and quality therapeutic interventions for kids with neurodevelopmental conditions such as Autism

This approach takes into account the active participation of individuals living with ASD which empowers them and thus gives them a voice”
— Jaki Mathaga, Founder, Arthur’s Dream Autism Trust
KRONBERG / NAIROBI , GERMANY / KENYA, April 2, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Vitafluence.ai in conjunction with ADAT announces today the launch of the iZuri Neurodiverse Early Intervention Scholarship (NEIS) Program.
The NEIS Program will combine the strengths of community cooperative values with entrepreneurial innovation to scale access to quality and consistent therapeutics interventions and aims to enable access for every child and family who needs them.

The scientific evidence is unambiguous about the key impact of early intervention therapies on the outcomes for individuals with Autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions. Getting early access to quality therapeutic interventions such as speech, occupational, behavioral, and creative therapies makes a big difference in the future outlook for many in the neurodiverse community. This could determine, for many, if they will have a fair shot to lead independent, productive lives engaged and connected with society.

Unfortunately in many countries, the costs for these interventions are mostly borne, out of pocket, by the families. Limited insurance coverage often excludes neurodevelopmental needs as pre-existing conditions. In Kenya, the reality of many families places them often in the difficult position to decide for other necessities instead of regular and consistent early intervention therapies for their kids.

Enter the iZuri NEIS program, with the goal to lower the costs of access to consistent and quality therapies for thousands of kids. We are starting in Kenya and aim to extend this to 2000 kids by the end of the year and then expand this access to other countries starting in 2022.

Whereas a noble and social impact cause that builds on the strong culture of community sharing embedded in the Kenyan society, the program is going to be guided by market principles that demand strong individual commitment and leverages compassionate technological innovation.

Every child who is a part of the program will receive subsidized access to quality therapies, but this will be strictly contingent on the commitment of the families to bring their kids to the regular therapy sessions and to commit to paying the subsidized rates secured for them as a result of the program.

Technological innovation, enabled by the Vitafluence iZuri platform will underpin the delivery of quality hybrid therapies both in-person and remotely and support home-based continuous learning. These innovations will help to drive down costs and improve consistency of delivery, thereby ensuring the sustainability of the program.

A board comprising of three members, one each from Vitafluence and ADAT, and including one of the leading neurodevelopmental pediatricians in Kenya will oversee the program. The board will assess the needs of each applicant and determine the level of subsidized support they will receive. Outreach and application to the program will initially be possible through the ADAT network representing the needs of neurodiverse families in Kenya.

The project ensures that the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN-CRPD) is followed by simplifying access to screening for children with developmental disabilities and thereafter the required intervention through the iZuri Therapeutics Platform. This approach takes into account the active participation of individuals living with ASD which empowers them and thus gives them a voice”, – says Jaki Mathaga, Founder, Arthur’s Dream Autism Trust

“Vitafluence and ADAT believe that early interventions not only give children the best start possible but also the best chance of developing to their full potential. We understand the financial strain and we are excited about this innovation to enable many families to get access to quality therapies”, – says Dr. Wamuyu Owotoki, Co-Founder and Head of Medical / Scientific operations at Vitafluence.ai GmbH.

“Early intervention offers the best opportunity to change the developmental trajectories for children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Unfortunately, most of the affected families face huge financial burdens due to high costs of care, and this contributes to delayed diagnosis and limits access to regular early interventions. The current COVID pandemic has further complicated access to therapy. The iZuri platform provides an opportunity for early identification and linkage to intensive early interventions, by combining both face-to-face and virtual therapy sessions. It will go a long way to ease the burden of care, and improve outcomes”. – says Dr. med. Florence Oringe, leading neurodevelopmental and behavioral consultant in Kenya.

About Arthur’s Dream Autism Trust
ADAT is a nonprofit organization that focuses on advocating for inclusive access to education for individuals with an autism diagnosis, organizes trainings for parents and families of individuals living with ASD, and works conjointly with partners to raise resources for parents with individuals living with ASD, with or without other comorbidities.
Contact:
Jaki Mathaga
Founder
Arthur’s Dream Autism Trust /ADAT)
Kenya
Tel: +254729404210
E-Mail:info@adatfoundation.org

About Vitafluence.ai GmbH
Vitafluence.ai is a data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) start-up with the mission of connecting the dots to create ethical, representative, and compassionate AI-powered healthcare solutions that improve human experienced quality of life and bridge the healthcare access gaps. The company focusses on conditions that are considered to have gender, ethnic and age biases such as on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).


Contact:

Dr. Wamuyu L. Owotoki
Vitafluence.ai
+49 6173 7838280
connect@vitafluence.ai