PESHAWAR
The participants of 36th Senior Management Course of the National Institute of Management (NIM) undertook a study visit to the Paraplegic Center Peshawar (PCP).
According to a PCP press release on Wednesday, the purpose of the visit was to examine this unique national institution as a case study, which specializes in the rehabilitation of individuals affected by spinal cord injuries. Upon returning to the institute, participants will prepare individual reports with the objective of making national institutions self-sufficient and sustainable on this analogy.
Fifteen participants from various federal and provincial services, including the Pakistan Administrative Service, Police Service, Secretariat Group, Foreign Service, Federal Board of Revenue, and PMS Group, along with two faculty members, took part in the visit, led by NIM’s Chief Instructor Tariq Bakhtiar.
The delegation was warmly received by the Chairman of the Board of Governors, Zia-ur-Rehman and the Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Syed Muhammad Ilyas. During the visit, the participants toured various departments, including the Orthotics Workshop, Autism Spectrum Disorder Section, Private and General Wards, and the College of Physical Medicine.
Dr. Syed Muhammad Ilyas gave a detailed briefing, explaining that despite limited resources, the Paraplegic Center not only offers rehabilitation services for paraplegic patients but also provides free treatment for individuals affected by clubfoot, autism spectrum disorders and polio. He highlighted that 90% of the people affected by these conditions are from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, making the center’s services essential for the underprivileged.
Dr. Ilyas further informed the delegation about the College of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, which offers various degree programs and is actively involved in concerned research activities. He also emphasized that while the center is working to establish similar facilities in other major cities under its expansion plans, government financial support envisaged paramount importance. He expressed the need for hundreds of such centers to be established across the country.
The participants praised Dr. Syed Muhammad Ilyas for his leadership in running such a multifaceted institution successfully on a self-help basis. They commended the administration as real-life heroes and recognized the Paraplegic Center as a model for other national institutions to follow.
