The partnership between the Sophien- und Hufeland-Klinikum Weimar gGmbH and Zomba Central Hospital in Malawi has set itself the goal of expanding physiotherapy capacities in the Zomba region.
Context:
Malawi is one of the world’s poorest countries. The Malawian health care system has to deal with the challenge posed by the increasing number of traffic accidents. The need for rehabilitative physiotherapy services is correspondingly high. In addition, children with developmental disorders and spasticity due to infantile cerebral palsy need physiotherapists to give them swallowing training so that aspiration and pneumonia can be avoided.
Activities:
-\tUpgrading outpatient and in-patient rehabilitation treatments: Adding a number of services from the fields of occupational therapy, hand therapy, speech and manual therapy
-\tTraining in respiratory therapy (treatment of long Covid)
-\tIntroduction of monthly visits by physiotherapists to carry out case reviews
-\tDigital information sharing between the hospital partners to strengthen professional competence and motivation
-\tFour-week placements at the hospital in Weimar to facilitate transfer of knowledge
Result:
Physiotherapy care at Zomba Central Hospital has expanded. Children with cerebral palsy receive neurophysiological training. Their family members receive training on feeding practices.