Physio cries for children with disabilities

A physiotherapist has warned that rehabilitation services for children with disabilities will not amount to much if government and development partners do not address human and technical constraints in the health sector.

Wongani Chavula was speaking in Blantyre on Thursday at the launch of a fundraising campaign by Parents of Disabled Children Association of Malawi (Podcam).

Podcam intends to construct a resource centre that will accommodate the needs of children with disabilities and is currently raising funds in excess of K25 million ($43 937) for the project.

Chavula said the project had come at the right time when most children with disabilities are failing to access rehabilitation services due to shortage of human and technical resources in the country’s hospitals.

She said: “This problem is giving parents of children with disabilities who live in remote areas unnecessary economic stress as they have to take their children to Mzuzu, Lilongwe and Blantyre to access the services.”

Chavula, who works as a rehabilitation technician at Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre, also stated that the problem is, in turn, denying children with disabilities access to rehabilitation services.

“I, therefore, commend Podcam for undertaking to assist government by constructing a resource centre that will accommodate the needs of children with disabilities, including rehabilitation service,” she appealed.

Podcam board chairperson, Godfrey Chafuwa, said part of the resource centre would be used as a vocational training school for persons with disabilities.

Chafuwa said the major aim of the school would be to empower persons with disabilities with skills that can enable them gain self-reliance.