PESHAWAR: The first-ever centre for rehabilitation of polio-affected children started operations at the Paraplegic Centre, Hayatabad Township, here on Thursday.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Finance Minister Taimur Salim Jhagra inaugurated the facility where free medication and supportive stuff would be provided to those affected by poliomyelitis in the province, a press release said.

The World Health Organisation has helped scores of children affected by polio to lead a normal life after treatment.

“It is an excellent facility for the people handicapped by the crippling ailment. It is an example that how our experts are working to provide services to the people who are destined to remain handicapped for the rest of their lives,” the minister said.

The government, he said, would extend all-out support to make the programme a complete success and benefit the people. He said that it was a pleasant surprise for him to see facilities for the victims of the childhood ailment and safeguard them against turning to beggary.

Mr Jhagra said that other provinces should also launch such projects to help medical rehabilitation of polio victims and improve quality of life of children suffering from polio-related disabilities.

Syed Mohammad Ilyas, chief executive of the centre, said on the occasion that they had got the services of the orthopaedic surgeons, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, nurses, psychologists and artificial limb workshop to provide full-fledged services to the children.

He also talked about the presence of wheelchair manufacturing workshop. Clubfoot clinic and other facilities have also been established to reduce the amount of disabilities in the province. He urged the doctors in other areas to refer the disabled patients for rehabilitation to the centre.

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2019