Physiotherapy, psychotherapy role in Corona management
Dr Mahboob-ur-Rahman
Like other ways of treatment, the role of physiotherapy and psychotherapy is also very important in the management of Corona. Both these therapies have a major share in the healthcare system of different countries. Let us throw some light on the status of our healthcare system with respect to these modes of treatment.
Physiotherapy plays its role in such a way that Respiratory/Chest Therapists are involved in the chest clearance of the patients with respiratory problems in the ICU. Basically, a physiotherapist enables a patient to be mobile at the earliest and to be out of bed so the bed availability for severe and critically ill patients becomes possible as we have shortage of ventilators in our country so early mobilization of the patients is very important and that could be made possible by physiotherapy very well.
If we look at the healthcare system of the world, physiotherapists are also involved in early mobilization and rehabilitation of the patients with respiratory diseases in order to minimize the load on health system in different aspects. In developed countries, the physicians and surgeons are mostly dependent on physiotherapists and every unit of the hospital having so many physiotherapists as per the bed strength and the success of all healthcare procedures and surgeries depends on good rehabilitation work.
In the prevailing situation of Corona pandemic in our country, the government should realize this fact by inclusion of physiotherapists in our healthcare system that will definitely help us in the recovery and rehabilitation of Corona patients. Here, it is to remember that the previous government had devised a plan to appoint a physiotherapist at every district headquarter hospital (DHQ) which was a good step but due to the present scenario that plan should be further extended by appointing a physiotherapist at every tehsil headquarter hospital (THQ) as well to provide the rehabilitation services to patients at their nearest point.
Similarly, the role of psychologists is also very important in stress management amid the Corona outbreak. By psychotherapy a psychologist can help in bringing the Corona patients and their families out of stress. As our country is passing through a hard time like many other countries, therefore, the government should avail and utilise the services of psychologists in order to tackle this pandemic through modern and advanced scientific techniques.
The writer is a known physiotherapist and the Chairman of Mahboob Medical Institute/Habib Physiotherapy Complex, Peshawar. He can be contacted at: mahboobhpc@gmail.com.
Related Posts
Comments