Today we were informed by the President of the Pakistan Society for Rehabilitation of the Disabled (PSRD) that Mrs Ghazala Hameed, our NAN Coordinator in Pakistan for the past six years, has sadly passed away on 14th January whilst in London.
Mrs Hameed served her country in the field of musculoskeletal health and rehabilitation for over two decades. A major focus of her efforts has been promotion of access to affordable healthcare for people with musculoskeletal health conditions from low income sectors. At the same time she worked tirelessly on prevention of disabilities by raising awareness of osteoporosis, arthritis, rickets and other debilitating musculoskeletal health conditions. She represented Rehabilitation International in Pakistan as their National Secretary and was also Senior Vice President of the Pakistan Society for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled.
As NAN Coordinator for the Global Alliance for Musculoskeletal Health (G-MUSC) we received regular newsletters with inspiring stories of young people who have been helped by her organisation through school programmes, community projects, improved education through the PSRD College of Rehabilitation Sciences (PCRS) and continuous advocacy for equitable access to healthcare. Her responsive and professional attitude has always been much appreciated by the Global Alliance.
As International Ambassador of G-MUSC since 2014 she had been developing her role as international spokesperson to advocate for our mission and vision, to “keep people moving” and to promote musculoskeletal health and science worldwide. She was a perfect example of someone who embraced fully the goal of the Global Alliance to improve the health related quality of life for people with musculoskeletal disorders throughout the world.
Mrs Hameed’s knowledge and keen interest in musculoskeletal issues worldwide will be a huge loss to our organisation. The Chair of the Global Alliance and International Coordinating Council would like to extend their condolences to her husband and family, to the Pakistan Society for Rehabilitation of the Disabled and to Rehabilitation International where her loss will be felt even more deeply.