Boroji Osindero, clinical director of Wellpath Physiotherapy has said that physiotherapy plays an integral role in improving the health and wellbeing of persons with disabilities while helping to prevent further complications and movement disorders.
As Nigeria joins the rest to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities celebrated every 3rd of December with the aim of promoting the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.
According to Osindero, the annual observance was proclaimed in 1992 by United Nations General Assembly resolution 47/3 and the theme for this year is ‘Building Back Better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 World’.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) world report on Disability reveals that about 15 percent of the world’s population, estimated as 1 billion people, are living with a disability. Of this number, it is estimated 450 million are living with a mental or neurological condition and two-thirds of these people will not seek professional medical help, largely due to stigma, discrimination, and neglect.
In addition, another 69 million people are estimated to sustain traumatic brain injuries each year worldwide, while one in 160 children are identified as on the autism spectrum.
“These nos are just some examples of the millions of people currently living with a disability that is not immediately apparent, and a reminder of the importance of removing barriers for all people living with a disability for an improved and better quality of life.
“Major interventions critical to improved quality of life for individuals living with disabilities are evidence-based techniques including physiotherapy,” Osindero said.
However, Physiotherapists are also central to encouraging and supporting people with disabilities to participate in physical activities they are interested in.
Explaining disability, Osindero said it is any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or interact with the world around them.
According to her, these conditions, or impairments, may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, sensory, or a combination of multiple factors.
“Impairments causing disability may be present from birth or occur during a person’s lifetime. Physiotherapists play a major role in the lives of individuals living with disabilities.”
“At Wellpath, we support individuals living with disabilities and work with people of all ages, including infants, to treat and manage a wide range of disability conditions including movement disorders, speech disorders, disorders of the nervous system, and neurological conditions to improve people’s health and wellbeing,” Osindero said.
Wellpath Physiotherapy is a rehabilitation center that provides a wide range of services including outpatient physiotherapy, inpatient physiotherapy, homecare physiotherapy, physiotherapy care in the hospital, pediatric physiotherapy, sports physiotherapy, stroke rehabilitation, speech therapy, and occupational therapy.
Wellpath has been recognized for its outstanding delivery of physiotherapy care in Nigeria and was awarded the highly coveted ‘Physiotherapy Service Provider of the Year’ award (2018 & 2019) by the Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Awards.
