Occupational therapy is a branch of medical profession which has recently been introduced in the field of healthcare in Bangladesh. It is the profession for care of neurological, psychiatric, cardiac, pediatric and musculoskeletal conditions through different therapeutic medium.
An occupational therapist treats the patients by physical therapy, mental therapy, retraining the patients of daily living activities according to their condition. Occupational therapist also provides adaptive equipment to improve functional capability and to maintain correct posture of the patient.
Firstly the course was initiated by Dr. Richard Ghust at NITOR hospital after just liberation of Bangladesh 1972. After completion of first batch this course was discontinued due to lack of teacher and other resources. Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) has started Occupational Therapy courses.
An occupational therapist can work in the setting of hospitals, rehabilitation centers, clinics, special schools, sensory integration corner, autism field, community based rehabilitation programmes, psychiatric hospitals, paediatric hospitals, ergonomic firms and so on.
From the year 2010, October 27 is being observed as the World Occupational Therapy Day. We should think about this profession and should help to create new places for better services for the persons with disabilities.
Source - The Daily Star

