KEMU and Mayo Hospital Lahore to Upgrade Orthotics Prosthetics Unit into Advanced Rehab Centre with $4M Korean Grant

Lahore: King Edward Medical University (KEMU) and Mayo Hospital Lahore have announced a transformative project to upgrade the historic Orthopaedic Workshop into a state-of-the-art Physical Rehabilitation Centre. The initiative, supported by a USD 4 million Official Development Assistance (ODA) grant from the Government of South Korea, aims to revolutionize rehabilitation services across Pakistan through advanced robotic limb technologies, prosthetics, orthotics, assistive devices, and specialized neuro-rehabilitation.

A high-level delegation from South Korea’s Rehabilitation Engineering Research Institute (RERI) visited KEMU and Mayo Hospital recently. They held detailed discussions with university leadership, including Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Mahmood Ayyaz, and inspected the project site. The collaboration focuses on infrastructure development, technology transfer, and operational excellence to create a regional Centre of Excellence.

This project builds on institutional efforts involving current and former officials, including contributions from Prof. Faisal Masood and others, with strong support from the Punjab government.

The Artificial Limbs Centre at Mayo Hospital has a rich legacy dating back decades. The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery was established in 1956 at King Edward Medical College and Mayo Hospital, with Professor Major Muhammad Ayub as its first head. The Orthopaedic Workshop and School of Physiotherapy were formally established in 1982, playing a pioneering role in providing prosthetics, orthotics, and rehabilitation support to persons with disabilities in Pakistan.

Over the years, the centre has served thousands of patients, offering essential services amid growing demand, particularly after major events like the 2005 earthquake. It has operated as a key facility for custom prosthetic and orthotic devices within the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery & Traumatology.

The BS Orthotics & Prosthetics program at King Edward Medical University (KEMU) is a 4-year Bachelor of Science degree offered under the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at Mayo Hospital Lahore.

Ms. Sumble Arif, Orthotist Prosthetist and a distinguished graduate of KEMU ,serving as Program incharge Orthotics & Prosthetics since 2017, plays a key role in the program as faculty member, contributing to both academic training and clinical education.

The program focuses on producing skilled professionals in prosthetics, orthotics, and rehabilitation technologies, combining theoretical knowledge with extensive hands-on clinical practice at the historic Orthopaedic Workshop.

Currently, the workshop continues to deliver patient care, though it functions with older infrastructure. The new USD 4 million upgrade will modernize it significantly, integrating robotic technologies and international best practices while preserving its historic role.

The project is expected to greatly expand access to high-quality rehabilitation, empower persons with disabilities, and strengthen Pakistan’s capabilities in assistive medical devices.