Physiotherapists Seek Formation Of Regulatory Council For Promotion Of Physical Therapy Services

The non-existence of a regulatory council was hampering promotion of physiotherapy services including non-pharmaceutical interventions and exercises for body pains and rehabilitation of people with disabilities to a desired level, said Dr.Mahboobur Rehman, former Chairman Board of Directors of Pakistan Physical Therapy Association (PPTA)

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Sep, 2019 ) :The non-existence of a regulatory council was hampering promotion of physiotherapy services including non-pharmaceutical interventions and exercises for body pains and rehabilitation of people with disabilities to a desired level, said Dr.Mahboobur Rehman, former Chairman board of Directors of Pakistan Physical Therapy Association (PPTA).

Talking to APP here Wednesday he said "We have been struggling for formation of a council for physical therapy for the past seven years but last month the Federal health task force decided to make us part of the allied council, causing unrest among the professional physiotherapists. He said that an independent council should be established to ensure quality education and delivery of quality services.

"Physiotherapists are doing MS and PhDs from the institutions recognized by Higher Education Commission and there is a need for a council on the pattern of doctors, nurses and pharmacists," he added. Paramedics take admission in different medical disciplines after matriculation and are categorized as support staff whereas physical therapists complete their five-year doctor of physiotherapy degree and take admission in institutions after getting 60 per cent marks in FSc (pre-medical)group, he explained.

The federal cabinet last year has approved a draft for setting up Pakistan Physical Therapy Council and sent to Law Department for vetting. The draft was about to be approved but Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination was asked by national health task force to include it in the allied council, which was meant for paramedics."According to WHO, physiotherapists are involved in direct treatment of patients due to which they fall in the category of health professionals and there are separate bodies for them in European countries," said Dr.

Mahboob.

He said that there were more than 25,000 doctors of physical therapy in the country. He said that there were 163 institutions in the country that produced more than 1,000 doctors every year. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has 26such colleges.

In 2016, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government in KhyberPakhtunkhwa launched 'Strengthening of Rehabilitation Programme for Physically Disabled' under which 50 physical therapists, one each male and female, were deployed at 25 district headquarters hospitals.

The programme has been benefiting 160,000 people suffering from low back pain, poliomyelitis, arthritis, knee joint pain, cerebral palsy, stroke or those requiring physical exercises after recovering from fractures or the ones seeking cure for postoperative problems.

"We hope that Prime Minister Imran Khan would take steps to launch similar programs nationwide" Said Dr Mahboob, the pioneer of the physical therapy, in the province.Dr Mahboob said that physiotherapists should be given complete service structure with chances of promotion up to basic pay scale 20as they were recognized health professional worldwide.

"The government's move to place them (physical therapists) in allied health sciences will discourage the young professionals and this discipline will suffer decline," he said. In the absence of a council, the physiotherapists are not allowed to receive patients directly and as result,people rely on medical doctors. He said that patients from surgical,orthopedic, plastic surgery, paeds, gyne, medical, neurology and intensive care unit were benefited from physical therapy.