Disabled Youth Showing Signs of Recovery

Disabled Youth Showing Signs of Recovery
SUJAWAL: Saleem Samejo Malah, resident of Begna Mori area of Sujawal district, is showing signs of recovery from cerebral palsy, a disorder that had left his body parts unmoved since his childhood. The 25 year old youth was born with a disability known as hemiplegic cerebral palsy, but since his family lived under destitute conditions, they could not afford the expenses of his treatment.

"My one hand was defective and I would crawl", said Saleem with a heavy voice before bursting into tears, adding that his defective hand had begun to move now. Talking to this scribe about the improvement, he said that team of youth comprising Danish Alwani, Adnan Surani, Ali Hyder and Zaeem set up a medical and welfare camp in Tarr Khowaja, a village 20 kilometers from his village, where he had gone for routine medical check up and to acquire a wheelchair.

It was there that a doctor advised him to take some medicine. "Such expensive medicine was out of my reach" said Saleem, adding that the team of youth ensured that the medicine would be provided to him. After a few days, he said Danish sent him a box of medicine and syrups, which he started consuming as per the prescription of doctors. After a week, Saleem said he felt some progress and his hand started moving.

Danish Alwani, the head of the youth team known as Reviving Smiles, said that a doctor had told him that treatment of Saleem's disability was possible through heavy dosage of medicine which would provide him necessary energy that he could not get at an early age. Danish also said Saleem's recovery must be coupled with physiotherapy and exercises. "I and my team members decided to bear the expenses of Saleem's treatment and provided him with the required medicine. After a week, his mother contacted us and told us that his son had shown some progress".

Adnan Surani, a member of the Reviving Smiles team, said that when they visited Saleem again, he looked more active and energetic when compared to past. Saleem's hand was moving more properly, and he was able to pick things with that hand. Saleem said that "now I feel an energy in myself and my weak legs are more stable". Danish said that Saleem would undergo physiotherapy in the second phase, after which positive changes would be seen in his condition.

The author is a practicing lawyer and freelance journalist. His areas of interest are cultural diversity and socio-political issues of Sindh.