Sindh Assembly Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro on Saturday urged all policymakers as well as the medical community to contribute towards the integration of people with disabilities into society.
Speaking at a seminar regarding the International Day of People with Disability that was held at the Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (IPM&R) of the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), Khuhro said people with disabilities must be provided every opportunity to lead independent and empowered lives.
He said, “The day itself aims to mobilise support for the dignity, rights and wellbeing of people with disabilities.”
He also said the physically and visually impaired, constituting seven percent of the population in the country, must be integrated into all spheres of life ranging from political and cultural to the social and economic.
He appreciated the DUHS for providing 2,500 artificial limbs to the disabled people of Larkana and enabling them to be socially and economically rehabilitated.
On the occasion, the speaker announced a grant of Rs 400,000 for the rehabilitative work undertaken by the IPM&R.
He expressed satisfaction over the DUHS’s plan to shortly start a mobile van service for the assistance of the disabled in the rural areas of the province.
Sindh Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah said there is a need to create public awareness regarding prevention of different diseases, including those that cause disabilities.
On behalf of the Sindh government, Shah assured financial, legal and administrative support for the IPM&R.
He said there is a dire need to promote awareness regarding human rights of those with disabilities and to help them combat discrimination.
DUHS Vice Chancellor Prof Masood Hameed Khan said there is a heavy burden of diseases in Pakistan and no government could handle it on its own.
“There is a dire need to evolve a preventive strategy,” Khan said and urged the media to play its role in sensitising the masses about modes to prevent ailments.
He thanked the provincial government for sanctioning different projects of the DUHS, and said the varsity plans to initiate health education campaign in different schools across the province.
IPM&R Director Dr Nabeela Soomro said the institute provides comprehensive multidisciplinary rehabilitation services to the people in need.
Soomro said patients are also assisted in the fields of cardiac neurological, musculoskeletal, speech and language rehabilitation, which helps patients to lead an active and healthy lifestyle.
“We are also actively involved in integration of the people with disabilities into society by providing them with artificial limbs,” she added.
