PESHAWAR: Shortage of physiotherapy services has been affecting the treatment of victims of terrorism as well as those requiring physical therapy after undergoing surgery in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), according to experts.

“Scant physiotherapy services have been the stumbling block in full recovery of the people who receive injuries or undergo certain surgeries in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata,” said Dr Mahboobur Rehman, head of the physiotherapy department at the Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC).

Speaking at a function held at the inauguration of the academic block of Mahboob School of Physiotherapy (MSP) at the Habib Physiotherapy Complex on Thursday, he said that the victims of militancy were in desperate need of physiotherapy services.

He said that they had suggested the government to start physiotherapy services at all the district headquarters hospitals of the province.

“People living in the conflict-prone areas required physiotherapy wards to safeguard the residents against disabilities. We can rehabilitate handicapped people by extending them therapy services,” he said.

Gandhara University vice-chancellor Prof Rashid Ahmad Tahirkheli, who inaugurated the building, said that MSP had come a long way to advance physical therapy in the province.

The postgraduate and undergraduate programmes started here had already been benefiting the people. Being a pioneer institute in physiotherapy, it has been offering degree courses since 2007.

Due to the efforts of the MSP, the number of physiotherapists has been increased to cater to the increasing needs of the people, he said.

“In the wake of war against terrorism, bomb blasts and suicide attacks the fire-arm injuries and other physical disabilities have increased in the province and country,” he said.

Prof Tahirkheli said that there was a need to produce highly trained human resource to cope with the situation.

He said that about 80 per cent of the MSP graduates had been recruited at different national and international organisations working for the ailing community.

Gandhara University director Dr Mohammad Tariq said that in Pakistan physiotherapy specialty had not received the desired attention.

He said that to promote this branch of medical sciences, they needed physiotherapists for conflict-hit areas because people there were developing contractures and other disabilities for lack of rehabilitation services.

He said that most of the victims could be treated successfully if provided timely services, but majority of people did not know about physical therapy.

Dean Faculty of Sciences Yar Mohammad Khan said that the province’s hospitals needed services of the physiotherapists to provide post-operation services to patients.