PESHAWAR, Sept 17: The NWFP government would set up rehabilitation centres for people suffering from orthotics and prosthetic problems in the province, Health Minister Inayatullah.

He said this while visiting the Pakistan Institute of Prosthetics and Orthotics Sciences at Hayatabad on Thursday. The minister visited training and academic wings and the patient care centre of the institute.

He met patients and asked about the quality of services provided by the institute. The patients praised the institution. Briefing the minister on activities and achievements, institute's chairman Dr Khan Haider and MD Dr Bakht Sarwar said the institute had been recognized by the International Society of Orthotic and Prosthetics.

The managing director said 600 million people were suffering from various forms of disabilities globally. In the NWFP, there are 1,25,000 disabled people, which need 24 rehabilitation centres and 193 experts for proper care, he said. He said the institute, apart from producing 134 graduates, had provided services to 16,063 patients so far.