MUZAFFARABAD: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) signed a revised Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s (AJK) Health Department on Friday, extending its support for another three years to rehabilitate persons with disabilities.

The MoU was signed by Nicolas Lambert, Head of the ICRC delegation, and AJK Health Secretary Brig. Irfan Ahmed in the presence of AJK Health Minister Nisar Ansar Abdali and senior officials from both sides.

The ICRC has a long history of assisting people with disabilities in AJK, particularly after the devastating 2005 earthquake, which left thousands dead and many more disabled. In response to the disaster, the ICRC established a 100-bed tent hospital in Muzaffarabad’s cricket ground to address the survivors’ emergency health needs. The facility, fully equipped with modern medical and surgical services, was handed over to the AJK Health Department in May 2006.

Before the handover, the AJK Health Department and the ICRC signed an agreement to construct the Muzaffarabad Physical Rehabilitation Centre (MPRC) within the premises of Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan Hospital, popularly known as CMH Muzaffarabad.

The MPRC became operational soon after its inauguration in July 2007 at a cost of Rs135.15 million by then Prime Minister of Pakistan Shaukat Aziz, .

In December 2013, the MPRC was handed over to the AJK government as an autonomous institute. According to Dr Ahmed Junaid, Director of MPRC, the facility has since provided artificial limbs and physiotherapy services to over 43,000 people from AJK, Gilgit-Baltistan, and neighbouring areas of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The centre also provides upper and lower limb support devices, mobility aids like crutches, walkers, and wheelchairs, along with tailored user training. It addresses various disabilities caused by polio, congenital deformities, clubfoot, spinal issues, limb paralysis, and cerebral palsy, Dr Junaid added.

Under the revised MoU, the ICRC will continue supporting the MPRC by supplying materials for assembling customized artificial limbs for persons with disabilities, particularly those in remote areas, including the heavily militarized Line of Control.

This support includes providing raw materials, conducting outreach in far-flung areas along the LoC, capacity building for MPRC staff, and initiating career development programs for individuals with disabilities, promoting social inclusion through technical training in collaboration with TEVTA.

Speaking at the event, Mr Abdali highlighted the importance of supporting differently-abled individuals, asserting that they are an integral part of society with the right to lead fulfilling lives.

“Providing facilities to alleviate their challenges is one of our top priorities, and we will achieve this in collaboration with the ICRC,” he said.

Mr Abdali also pointed out that the AJK government had already prioritized the welfare of persons with disabilities, including them among the key beneficiaries of the Social Protection Welfare Programme.

Expressing his gratitude to the ICRC, Brig Irfan Ahmed acknowledged the critical role the organization had played in helping the Health Department, particularly the MPRC, meet its rehabilitation goals.

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2024