CM urges parents of differently-abled children to educate them

Murad Ali Shah inaugurates Multidisciplinary Paediatric Rehabilitation Services Department at Dow


Our Correspondent August 21, 2017
CM Sindh Murad Ali Shah. PHOTO: Express

KARACHI: Through proper coaching, care, treatment and rehabilitation, differently-abled children can turn out to be immensely useful for the society.

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said this while addressing the inauguration ceremony of Multidisciplinary Paediatric Rehabilitation Services Department of Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) at the varsity on Sunday.  He was accompanied by his Principal Secretary Sohail Rajput, Health Minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro and Health Secretary Dr Fazlullah Pechuho.

It particularly depends on the parents how they bring up their differently-abled children, the CM said, adding that through proper upbringing these children can excel and contribute in various fields.

Sindh establishes country's first government-run autism centre

The CM further said that he has declared emergency in health and education sectors and has also empowered the relevant ministers and secretaries to take important decisions for delivery of services. "I do not believe in centralised powers and my cabinet members and provincial secretaries have enough powers to run their departments independently," he said.

Shah also took notice of the underdeveloped area where DUHS has established the rehabilitation centre. "The roads of the area are dilapidated and piles of garbage are lying here and there," he remarked and pledged that he would make sure that the area is reconditioned and the roads are reconstructed.

Briefing the CM about multidisciplinary services for children with autism at the Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, DUHS, director of the institute, Dr Nabeela Soomro, said approximately 10% of Pakistan's population is facing disabilities and this number is increasing due to different health issues such as diabetes, hypertension, pre-mature births, bomb blasts, traffic accidents, violence and congenital abnormalities.

Disabled persons in K-P to enjoy basic rights soon

The professor further said that hospitals in the developed countries offer rehabilitation facilities. She added that even our neighbouring countries have multiple rehabilitation institutes at their medical universities and tertiary-care hospitals, which employ multidisciplinary approach for the rehabilitation of differently-abled sector of the society.

Dr Soomro was of the view that work in rehabilitation medicine is nascent in Pakistan. The DUHS has the honour to be the first civilian institute in Pakistan, which is offering multidisciplinary rehabilitation services since 2007, she said. Patients of stroke, spinal cord injury, polio, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, musculoskeletal disorder, language disabilities, swallowing and audiological disorders, autism, myopathies, neuropathies and amputees come at the institute for multidisciplinary rehabilitation.

The CM visited different rehabilitation wards and met the children being rehabilitated. He appreciated the work being done at the centre. A tableau was also presented by the differently-abled children on the occasion. DUHS Vice-Chancellor Dr Saeed Qureshi, Dr Irum Rizwan, Prof Khawar Saeed Jamali and others also spoke at the ceremony.

COMMENTS

Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ