SWAT: Speakers at a workshop on 15th February emphasised the need for professional therapy to help children with hearing and speech impairments regain their skills.
The workshop on hearing and speech impairments was organised by Cochlear Implant Welfare Organisation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in collaboration with the ENT department of Saidu Group of Medical Institutes at the Saidu Medical College.
Shahid Ali Khan, mayor of Babuzai tehsil, was the chief guest on the occasion. Speech therapists, president of the organisation Sartaj Hussain, and a large number of parents of children with hearing and speech impairments were in attendance.
Mayor Shahid Ali said: “The provincial government is committed to serving humanity. We are making effective use of available resources to support this important cause.”
He stressed that parents played a crucial role in the care of children with hearing and speech impairments and that the workshop would provide them with valuable guidance on improving their ability to care for and educate their children. He added: “When a person serves humanity with sincere intentions, Allah helps him and grants success in both this world and the hereafter.”
The mayor also noted that children were the future of the nation, and steps should be taken for their betterment. “Special children deserve our focused attention, and their needs should be met beyond politics,” he said. “The provincial government’s mission is to transform special children into productive members of society. With effort and dedication, their personalities can be shaped to help them become valuable citizens.”
The organisation’s president Sartaj Hussain requested the Babuzai mayor to take steps to include surgeries for children with hearing and speech impairments in the health card scheme. The mayor said he would discuss the matter with the chief minister.
Later, the Cochlear Implant Welfare Organisation provided parents with training and guidance on speech therapy.
Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2025
