ADVANCED TRAINING FOR PHYSIOTHERAPISTS IN ETHIOPIA

Project description

An accidental fall such, a road accident, a simple burnon the skin, a difficult birthing process or a stroke, are frequent causes of incapacity or even partial or total, temporary or permanent disability. This can happen anywhere, but this scenario is the more probable in Ethiopia, where the recovery of a function is not an individual  reasonable expectations but just a hope. This hope will almost always mortified by the inevitable acceptation and observation of permanent damage.

Even in Ethiopia patients’ expectations can be restored and this sad reality can be changed by physiotherapy. This is why physiotherapy should be practiced and its study should be included in the university training plans for the development of new and qualified skills. The starting situation is well described in the WHO country sheet. The starting situation is perfectly described in the WHO Country tab. Only 5% of those in need of rehabilitation get rehabilitative treatments and only in a tenth of cases it is physiotherapy. There are only about 500 physiotherapists in Ethiopia. All physiotherapists are trained at Gondar University, which has been active since 2002, and is the only training school for physiotherapists

GSI Italia’s project at Gondar University and St. Paul Hospital in Addis Ababa, financed with 8xmille by the Waldensian Church, focuses on investing in the training of health-workers, doctors, and physiotherapists. The missions of Italian operators in Ethiopia is followed by Ethiopian health-workers in Umbria, and vice versa.

The aim of the project is to promote in the country the culture in rehabilitation of doctors and hospital managers. – An increasing number of trained doctors, physiotherapists and rehabilitation workers – the enlargement of the training offer –  the innovation in training courses, with external contributions (missions of Italian doctors) trainers and educational material (video and paper), and equip the workers with physiotherapy tools to support rehabilitation activities.

In accordance with WHO guidelines, an Integrated Rehabilitation Team uses a multidisciplinary, multi-professional, and multidimensional approach, with the primary focus on the individual with problems and their family (caregiver).

The project is going to create two necessary results to support the training activities: 1.”Practical lessons for the rehabilitation physiotherapist”, with also educational video of the physiotherapy maneuvers and; 2. “Compendium for the rehabilitation of neurological patients “, with attached video. The students will then do a stage in the final 3 months of the course in at various hospitals in the country, and the stage will end with the final examination and the assignment of certificates.

Goals achieved