Richard Bignell

Several years ago, as part of a year off my work and study as a rehabilitation resident, I was travelling throughout Central Asia from Azerbaijan to Pakistan when I was put in contact by my Australian supervisor, Dr. Peter New, with a research colleague of his who is based in Pakistan, Dr. Farooq Rathore. After entering Pakistan in the far north via the spectacular Karakoram Highway from Xinjiang China and spending several weeks trekking in the amazing Karakoram Range and Himalaya, I met Dr. Rathore in Rawalpindi and was kindly shown around two rehabilitation centers, the Fauji Foundation Hospital and the impressive and modern Armed Forces Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (AFIRM). Dr. Rathore and his colleagues were incredibly generous with their time, motivated and professional, and it was fascinating to see how rehabilitation medicine is practiced outside of my experiences in Australia. In particular, the amputee rehabilitation was impressive, especially the Artificial Limb Centre. Pakistan is an incredibly beautiful country with hospitable people, and I’m looking forward to returning.
 
Dr. Richard Bignell, MBBS (Hons) FAFRM (RACP),
Ballarat Health Services, Australia.