First Lady for affordable Assistive Technology for persons with disabilities

Karachi :(Saima Naz) First Lady Begum Samina Arif Alvi has urged the need to make Assistive Technology (AT) affordable for persons with disabilities to make them active and productive citizens of the country. She said that civilized societies gave equal importance to differently-abled people by providing necessary skills and training so that they can be assimilated into the mainstream of society. She expressed these views during her visit to the Society for the Rehabilitation of Special Children Centre (SRSC) in Karachi. She visited SRSC as part of her commitment to support and advocate for the well-being and inclusivity of special children across the country. Speaking on the occasion, the First Lady emphasized the need for increased awareness, resources and public-private support to ensure that every special child in Pakistan received the necessary care, education and opportunities to thrive. She further said that the reserved quota for differently-abled persons in public and private organisations in Pakistan needed to be fully implemented. She added that 10 to 15 per cent of the population in Pakistan suffered from some kind of disability, and they needed to be provided facilitation, support, and Assistive Technology to help them become productive members of the country. Accompanied by a delegation of philanthropists and teachers, the First Lady interacted with differently-abled children and was given an overview of the therapy and recreational services at the centre. She appreciated the services being provided to special children and commended the team of professionals and caregivers for their efforts in creating an inclusive environment for children with special needs. The treatment and therapy facilities being provided at the centre include medical treatment, dental treatment, intellectual therapy, physiotherapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, sports training and vocational training. The officials of the Rehabilitation Centre for Special Children expressed gratitude for the First Lady’s visit and her unwavering commitment to championing the rights of special children. They highlighted the significance of such visits in raising awareness, fostering empathy and driving positive change in society.