Occupational Therapy in Action': KOTA and AIOTA Jointly Mark World OT Day with New App Launch

Thiruvananthapuram | The Kerala Occupational Therapists’ Association (KOTA) and the All India Occupational Therapists’ Association (AIOTA) jointly celebrated World Occupational Therapy Day. The event held in Thiruvananthapuram, was inaugurated by former minister and Kazhakoottam MLA, Kadakampally Surendran. M. Abdunnasir, Chairperson of the Kerala State Allied and Healthcare Council, was the Chief Guest.

During the inaugural function, the Kerala Occupational Therapists’ Association's new mobile app was launched. The KOTA Community Mobile App is a centralized digital platform for occupational therapists in the state that aims to enhance connections, collaboration, and service accessibility among the members. The facility is also available for the public to find information, including where occupational therapists practice in government and private sectors, and their membership status. The app will also feature a community forum for members to discuss topics related to occupational therapy and information on various workshops.

The event was organized focusing on this year's World Occupational Therapy Day theme, 'Occupational Therapy in Action', to increase public awareness about occupational therapy and highlight the field's importance in society.

“We are celebrating this year's World Occupational Therapy Day in a social context where Occupational Therapy has been proven effective in the treatment of conditions including Autism, Cerebral Palsy, and ADHD,” said Kadakampally Surendran MLA during his inaugural speech.  “While we take pride in the achievements Kerala has made in the health sector, the reality remains that there is a lack of awareness in society about fields like Occupational Therapy. Such shortcomings must be addressed through practical actions”. He added.

“The World Occupational Therapy Day celebration holds great significance, as it comes at a time when a unified syllabus and curriculum for occupational therapy have been introduced in the country,” said Dr. Joseph Sunny Kunnacherry, Honorary Secretary of the All India Occupational Therapists’ Association.  He added that “We are passing through a moment that truly marks the gravity of occupational therapy in the health sector.," Dr. Joseph Sunny is also a key person who played a significant role in the historical changes in the field of occupational therapy recently announced by the Central Government.

Occupational therapists who demonstrated excellent performance in the field, and this year's rank holders from the Kerala Health University were honored at the ceremony. There were various cultural programs by the occupational therapy students from the National Institute of Speech and Hearing (NISH)  National Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (NIPMR) and  KMCT College Of Allied Health Sciences.

KOTA President, Dr. Mary Philip, Secretary, Dr. Smruthy Jose C, AIOTA Honorary Secretary, Dr. Joseph Sunny Kunnacherry, Organizing Chairperson, Dr. Vinith Dani Joseph, Secretary Dr. Joseph Bose, Dr. Anna Daniel (National Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation) and Dr. Muhammed Shareef (KMCT College of Allied Health Profession) were present.