Korea to provide US44m grant for prosthetics project in Punjab

LAHORE  –  The Republic of Korea will provide a grant of 4 million US dollars for a rehabilitation engineering project aimed at modernising prosthetics and orthotics services at Mayo Hospital, Lahore, and providing advanced artificial limbs to around 800 amputees. Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique, while meeting a Korean delegation at King Edward Medical University (KEMU) on Friday, welcomed the project and assured full cooperation from the Punjab government under the directives of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. He said Punjab, the country’s most populous province, was establishing new children’s, cardiac and cancer hospitals in line with the chief minister’s vision. He added that the provincial government was also providing free transplant services worth billions of rupees to patients. The minister said the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the rehabilitation engineering project marked an important milestone in international cooperation in physical disability, rehabilitation engineering and health sciences.

The Korean delegation gave a presentation on the history and development of Mayo Hospital’s Prosthetics and Orthotics Workshop, highlighting existing challenges in prosthetic rehabilitation and the need for modern facilities. It also outlined the project’s objectives, duration and expected outcomes. Under the project, the workshop will be comprehensively upgraded and equipped with modern machinery. Master trainers will receive specialised training in the Republic of Korea, while Korean experts will provide technical assistance through visits to Mayo Hospital. The initiative aims to improve access to quality prosthetic devices and rehabilitation services while developing sustainable local capacity in prosthetics and orthotics. King Edward Medical University will lead the project’s implementation, with a Project Management Unit (PMU) overseeing its execution, academic activities and capacity-building initiatives. K-RERI Managing Director Dr. Sehoon Park appreciated the Punjab government’s cooperation and commended its health initiatives. KEMU Vice-Chancellor Professor Mahmood Ayaz said the Social Welfare Department would help identify deserving individuals, particularly persons with physical impairments and disabilities, and refer them for relevant services. The Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) would support the development and management of the project database and provide the required IT infrastructure.

The meeting was attended by KEMU Vice-Chancellor Professor Mahmood Ayaz, Mayo Hospital Chief Executive Officer Professor Shahzad Anwar, Professor Ali Madih Hashmi, Mayo Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. Abdul Mudabbir Rehan, PITB officials and faculty members. The Korean delegation included K-RERI Managing Director Dr. Sehoon Park, Director Jinjien Song, First Secretary Moon Sung and Second Secretary and Consultant Yensio Cho.

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