Daily Times

Approximately 10 percent of Pakistan’s total population is facing disabilities because of diseases, terrorism, traffic accidents, violence and congenital abnormalities, according to Dr Nabila Soomro, the director of Institute of Physical and Medicine and Rehabilitation (IPM&R).

Advisor to Chief Minister Sindh on Information Barrister Murtaza Wahab visited IPM&R on Tuesday where he received a briefing from Dr Nabila Soomro.

Barrister Murtaza Wahab visited all departments of the rehabilitation institute including Rehabilitation Medicine, Department of Physiotherapy, Department of Occupational Therapy, Learning Disorder Services, Department of Prosthetics and Orthotics, Department of Autism, Department of Language Swallowing and Audiology, Department of Neurophysiology, Department of Special Education and Department of Vocational Training Centre.

While talking to journalists after the visit, he said that although Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was committed to improve each aspect of people’s lives, it was paying special attention to the provision of quality medical facilities to the people of Sindh.

Replying to a question he said that Dow University of Health Sciences IPM&R was the first ever civilian institute of Pakistan offering multi disciplinary rehabilitation service since 2007. “More multidisciplinary rehabilitation centres would be established in province of Sindh to deliver multidisciplinary rehabilitation services to the public,” he shared. He added that the PPP had also established the first ever ‘Autism Centre’ in Karachi.

He further said that the government was trying to address social problem at community level. Responding to another question, Barrister Wahab said that the Sindh government had released annual grant of Rs 6 billion (bn) to hospitals under administrative control of KMC.

He further announced that about 30 trauma centers would be completed in few months. He said that he felt inspired to visit centre because IPM&R from 2007 to 2018 provided medical facilities to 228,474 patients. “The situation is definitely alarming in Pakistan since affording rehabilitation services is a big challenge but Sindh government established IPM&R,” he said, adding that PPP’s mission was to provide premium healthcare facilities to people at their doorstep.

Murtaza Wahab also said that disability was not a disease but it was a problem which patients, relatives and society had to understand to handle, lovingly and carefully. “It is our responsibility to support citizens who are differently abled,” he said.

Advisor to CM said that the biggest challenge came in the form of finding dedicated professionals who would run healthcare institutions in public interest. “PPP succeeded in establishing institutions where dedicated professionals are working for the public,” he added.

PPP Press Information Director Ms Zeenat Jehan also accompanied Barrister Murtaza Wahab on his visit.

Published in Daily Times, September 26^th 2018.