File photo of a person in a wheelchair. PHOTO: FILE
Nearly 80,000 people with disabilities will be given financial aid in three phases in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), announced Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan on Tuesday.
Imran was addressing a gathering at Nishtar Hall arranged by the K-P Social Welfare department to mark the International Day of People with Disability.
In the first phase 26,000 people with disabilities will be facilitated financially, while in the second phase 40,000 would be given aid. The rest would be assisted during the third phase.
“PTI is bringing a new local government system which will help resolve the problems of K-P’s residents at their doorstep,” added Imran.
Of blasts and polio
People with some form of physical disability comprise nearly 12-15% of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s total population, shared participants at a seminar on Tuesday. These numbers continue to increase because of injuries sustained by people in terrorist attacks and rise in polio cases.
The seminar was organised by K-P Health Department’s Provincial Coordinator for Rehabilitation of Physical Disabled to mark the International Day of People with Disability. The theme for this year was ‘Break Barriers, Open Doors: for an inclusive society and development for all’. According to provincial coordinator for the rehabilitation centre Dr Mahboobur Rahman, approximately 15% of the world’s population consists of people with disabilities while the figure for K-P is 12-15% of its population.
“Injuries from bomb blasts and polio are the main culprits behind the swelling numbers. Due to the worsening law and order in the region, the number of persons with physical disabilities is increasing,” said Dr Rahman.
The K-P health department plans to establish a physiotherapy unit in every district of the province, he shared. “Its main purpose will be to counter the rising figures and to provide treatment to those with disabilities.”
“There are very few specialist physiotherapists in the main teaching hospitals of K-P. Ideally there should be one in each ward of every hospital,” said Rahman.
Hayatabad Medical Complex CEO Dr Muhammad Zubair also spoke on the occasion. Physiotherapy and rehabilitation facilities should not just be extended to district levels but to tehsil levels as well, said Zubair.
Furthermore, he stressed on the need for buildings, parks and hospitals with access to create a more inclusive society. “A majority of buildings have no access points for people with physical disabilities, forcing them to remain confined to their homes,” lamented Zubair.
Earlier, a walk was arranged by the students of Mahboob School of Physiotherapy to highlight the problems faced by persons with disabilities. University of Peshawar College of Home Economic Principal Dr Kaniz Fatima, Assistant Director Health Dr Akhtar Saeed, and senior physiotherapist Dr Zahoor Ahmad also participated in the walk.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 4th, 2013.
COMMENTS (2)
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Really positive step taken by provincial govt. PWDs are one of the most discriminated segments of the society across the globe and the issue is much worse for poor countries like Pakistan. Any progress in this regard should be lauded. In the long run, we need to make this process sustainable by facilitating integration of PWDs at the political & societal level.
Hats off to the KPK government for this step. It is perhaps the first time in Pakistan's history that the state is feeling genuinely concerned about people with disabilities. Although in only one province for now, but still better than nothing.