India, Dec. 1 -- In a first for Maharashtra, UNICEF experts will train and closely monitor the work of the District Early Intervention Centre (DEIC) in Aundh, a crucial facility that provides early assessment and therapy to children aged 0 to 6 years. The centre has been selected as Centre of Excellence in the state, a move expected to significantly strengthen early identification of childhood development delays, and post therapies and support services in the district, said officials.

The DEIC in Aundh was started in 2016 in the campus of Aundh District Hospital. The centre, on an average, identifies nearly 5,000 children every year with developmental delays, birth defects, deficiencies and diseases, and provides specialised intervention...