PESHAWAR
The Khyber Medical University (KMU) Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation on Wednesday hold a seminar to create awareness among people about the importance of speech and language therapy.
While speaking at the event as chief guest, Prof. Dr. Lal Muhammad, Pro-Vice Chancellor of KMU, said that Speech and Language Pathology (SLP) was started in 2017 in Peshawar. The purpose of celebrating this day is to create awareness among people.
He said that speech and language pathology is an important medical field, people here are shy to describe this disease, although it is not an incurable disease, its treatment is possible through modern techniques and the purpose of celebrating this day is to create awareness regarding speech and language pathology.
KMU and other institutes are graduating qualified speech and language therapists who are providing services in various medical institutions including DHQs and MTIs across the province.
Addressing the ceremony, Dr. Muhammad Bin Afsar Jan, Director Rehman Medical Institute of Rehabilitation Sciences said that speech and language pathology is an important medical field. He said that when KMU IPMR was formed in 2009, the importance of physiotherapy was highlighted in the entire province and today their services are being appreciated in all major hospitals. Similarly, the importance of SLP is increasing since its inception in Khyber Medical University.
Director IPMR Dr. Irfanullah said in his address that KMU has given equal importance to all health sectors, which has yielded encouraging results. He said that there is dire need of speech and language pathologists in district headquarters hospitals and teaching hospitals. Recommendations will soon be sent to the provincial government to create posts of language pathologists, which will create new employment opportunities in the sector, he added.
Dr. Syed Ali Bakhsh, Director of Special Education Complex, Hayatabad, also highlighted the importance of speech and language therapy and said that the role of the social welfare department is also important in this field. On the occasion, the students had also made various models which were praised a lot while at the end Professor Dr. Lal Muhammad distributed certificates of appreciation among the students and the organizers of the event.
