ICRC PHYSICAL REHABILITATION PROGRAM IN PAKISTAN AND THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Background: Pakistan is characterized as one of the lower income countries in South Asia facing similar challenges as the third world countries based on higher gross national income. According to an article by Rathore, New and Iftikhar (2011), a higher percentage of Pakistanis live in acute poverty which is an indication that the nation’s resources are unevenly distributed.  The United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are founded on the global philosophy of “leaving no one behind”, however, this objective is not attainable without the inclusion of the prosthetic and orthotic (P&O) services and physiotherapy (PT) as an essential component of integrated people-centered health services especially in developing nations.

Purpose: To find out  the impact of ICRC Physical Rehabilitation Program on the socioeconomic status and quality of life of the Persons with Physical Disabilities(PwDs) in Pakistan.

Methods: ICRC is supporting more than twenty physical Rehabilitation centers in Pakistan. Out of them 05 centers were selected. 635 persons with disabilities were interviewed using ICRC approved BF&TA questionnaire through customized EPI info software for ICRC supported Physical Rehabilitation centers.
Duration: January 2019-December 2019
Sample size: 635 persons with physical disabilities
Sample technique: Convenient sampling.
Inclusion criteria
Ø  PWDs who are willing to actively participate in the BF&TA process.
Ø  Adults aged 15-60 years.
Ø  Trans tibial, Transfemoral, Knee disarticulation amputees and PwDs with Knee ankle & foot deformities (KAFO users).
Ø ‘Active’ users i.e. who are walking with the device, so that their functionality can be assessed.

Results: Physical Rehabilitation services supported by ICRC (prosthesis, orthosis, physical therapy) improved the quality of life and socioeconomic conditions of the PwDs.
Overall the devices (prosthesis, orthosis) meet expectations of 60%(381) PwDs and were very satisfied.
76%(485) PwDs responded that they feel better with the device.
Regarding the mobility with the device, 77%(488) of PwDs were with very high ambulation or with active ambulation capacity and 16%(100) were within the community.
Before getting the first device 52%(328) PwDs were not working while after getting the device they all started working.
50%(315) replied that there was substantial improvement in income after getting the device.
82%(521) replied that device is either important or very important for interacting within community.

Conclusion(s): Physical Rehabilitation services supported by ICRC (prosthesis, orthosis, physical therapy) improved the quality of life and socioeconomic conditions of the PwDs.
It is suggested to Government of Pakistan to integrate the ICRC supported physical rehabilitation centers into government structure in order to ensure the sustainability.

Implications: ICRC is working with the Government of Pakistan and supporting their Physical Rehabilitation Center therefore  It is suggested to Government of Pakistan to integrate fully  the ICRC supported physical rehabilitation centers into government structure in order to ensure the sustainability of the services for Persons with disabilities.

Funding, acknowledgements: Thanks to International Committee of the Red Cross for sponsoring the study.

Keywords: Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs), Physical Rehabilitation Program(PRP), Persons with disabilities(PwDs)

Topic: Disability & rehabilitation

Did this work require ethics approval? No

Institution: Mahboob Medical Institute,Peshawar,Pakistan

Committee: Ethical and Research Committee Mahboob Medical Institute, Peshawar, Pakistan

Reason: Ethical approval is exemptedbecause written consent was taken from the subjects before including them in the study.