PHYSIOTHERAPISTS in Pakistan continue to face troubling realities despite their vital role in healthcare. Trained to help patients recover mobility and manage pain without invasive procedures, these professionals are often undervalued and overlooked within the system.

The situation is rather grim, with neglect and exploitation having left many young physiotherapists struggling to find their place in the healthcare system. One of the root causes is the unregulated expansion of undergraduate physiotherapy prog-rammes by private universities.

These institutions enrol hundreds of students every year without considering the limited job market. While universities benefit financially from the high tuition fees, the oversupply of graduates has created intense competition and high unemployment. The lack of alignment between academia and healthcare sector needs has led to an overflow of qualified professionals with nowhere to go.

The problem is compounded when these graduates are required to complete house jobs in government hospitals, often without pay. In Punjab, unlike medical graduates who receive stipends during their internships, physiotherapists are expected to work full-time without any financial support. These unpaid house jobs place an enormous burden on young professionals, many of whom already face financial pressures from years of expensive education. Despite handling significant responsibilities and contributing to patient’s rehabilitation, they receive neither compensation nor recognition.

Most government hospitals also lack well-established physiotherapy depart-ments. Where such departments do exist, they are understaffed and poorly resourced. Physiotherapists are rarely treated as essential members of the medical team, despite their proven role in patient recovery. This limits their career growth and denies patients access to critical rehabilitation services.

Another major gap is the absence of a national regulatory body. Unlike doctors and nurses, physiotherapists do not have a dedicated council to oversee licensing, standards and professional rights. Efforts to establish a Pakistan Physiotherapy Council have repeatedly failed, leaving the profession without representation or a clear voice in policy decisions.

If this neglect continues, Pakistan risks losing even more physiotherapists to countries where their skills are valued. The government must regulate university admissions, ensure paid internships, and establish a proper physiotherapy council.

Dr Usama Nadeem
Kasur

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2025