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| October 26, 2005 | Wednesday | Ramzan 21, 1426 |
Policy for amputees’ rehabilitation soon
ISLAMABAD, Oct 25: The government is developing a policy to rehabilitate patients whose limbs have to be amputated in the wake of October 8 earthquake that hit AJK, NWFP and other parts of the country.
Approximately 180 amputations have been carried out in different public hospitals of Rawalpindi and Islamabad of which 80 were done in the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), 30 in Children Hospital, 35 in Rawalpindi General Hospital (RGH), 14 in Holy Family Hospital, one in District Headquarters (DHQ) hospital and 20 in Federal Government Services Hospital (FGSH).
In addition, about 400 to 500 patients in different hospitals have become disabled after they developed “Paraplegia” due to earthquake and therefore are in need of permanent attention of others.
Realizing the grave situation, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has directed the Ministry of Health to prepare a comprehensive and an integrated policy that should ensure provision of artificial limbs to the victims in a planned manner, Health Secretary Anwar Mehmood told Dawn.
He said a five-member team had been formed by the health ministry to assess the total number of amputations carried out in different hospitals.
Led by Pims Executive Director Prof Dr Fazle Hadi, the team will develop a database by classifying patients into sex, age group and the nature of their requirement, he added.
“Whatever be the cost, the government is determined to go ahead with this plan,” the secretary said.
All the hospitals in the twin cities, in addition to the field hospitals in AJK, and the NWFP government have been asked to convey their requirements to the health ministry within a week so that a recommendation could be finalized for approval by the prime minister.
The team is also exploring availability and nature of facilities in Pakistan and possibility of upgrading these to meet the gigantic task of providing artificial limbs to the quake-victims, Anwar Mehmood said.
We are also looking at options either to import artificial limbs from countries like the US, UK and Australia or to develop indigenous skills that would also create job opportunities in the country. Already 25 skilled but jobless prosthetics are available in the country, who will now be employed permanently by involving them in this process, he added.
However, he said, it was a long-term process as the requirement of such limbs would change gradually, especially among children as they grow older with the passage of time.
We have to create a new infrastructure by providing physiotherapist and psychotherapist to victims in addition to other facilities to build confidence among them and to make them a productive member of the society.
Meanwhile, Prof Hadi said the US had offered import of free limbs to Pakistan along with doctors to impart skills.
Referring to tetanus, the secretary said a total of 119 patients in different hospitals of Rawalpindi and Islamabad had developed tetanus infections but the government had adequate supply of Anti-Tetanus Globulin (ATG) with latest consignment arriving from UK, US and India.
More ATG is expected from Turkey and India whereas Afghanistan has pledged to provide TT vaccine which is administered as a prophylactic to prevent injured persons from contracting tetanus infection, he added.
Around 45,000 people in AJK and NWFP have been administered Tetanus Toxoid (TT) to prevent them from contracting tetanus infection.
Anwar Mehmood said the government had decided to extend financial assistance to admitted victims by disbursing Rs10,000 each among patients with major injuries and Rs5,000 each to those suffering minor injuries. In this regard, Rs75 million have already been released by the finance ministry.
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