GUJRAT: The first-ever institution in Pakistan dedicated to well-being of children with Down’s Syndrome was inaugurated in Jhelum on Monday, March

21 – the World Down’s Syndrome Day. The Al-Jalal Institute for Down’s Syndrome Special Children has been completed with the funds provided by Punjab government.

The building was inaugurated by the children suffering from the condition in the presence of local philanthropists.

On the occasion, the Al-Jalal Welfare Trust chairman Jalal Akbar Dar urged the Punjab government to officially declare Down’s Syndrome a disability, besides arranging separate classrooms and facilities at government institutions for the affected children.

So far, hearing, speech and visual impairment, besides mental and physical disorders have been officially recognised.

The institute has been established in a five-storey building with state-of-the-art classrooms, hospital, physio and speech therapy labs, as well as residences.

Other participants of the ceremony stressed the need for creating awareness about the disability, pointing out that due to lack of knowledge about the condition the affected children were being admitted to the institutions where they were not given proper care and treatment.

They said consistent training, therapy and exercises could turn such children into beneficial citizens and help impart to them skills to make them self-sufficient.

They were of the opinion that Punjab could set an example for other provinces by getting the disability declared officially.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2016