Dear friends,
>
> I would be very grateful for contacts, help and advice on child
disability reseach in an african setting.
> I am a junior paediatrician working in Blantyre, Malawi. One of Africa's
poorest countries, yet with vision and enthusiasm in the to have set up a
few years ago a dedicated 'ministry responsible for people with
disabilities' and to be reworking its entire national disability policy.
> Several organisations both of and for people with disabilities exist -
but as ever in this type of setting, a major problem is one of resources
and effective outreach to often very isolated populations (malawi's
population is about 85% rural). CBR as an approach to physical disability
was once strong, but with withdrawl of international funding has very much
(and very sadly) faltered. General background information on both the
prevalence of disability and the issues faced by disabled persons is
sparse.
>
> Together with local organisations I plan to look at the role of the
health sector in disability related issues, especially focusing on
childhood disability. With major mortality and morbidity from problems
ranging from childbirth through to malaria, to HIV, to malnutrition etc,
health services at present often leave disability as a non-acute and hence
very low priority area.
>
> Two things which I would very much appreciate advice on are:
1) Is there a widely accepted disability assessment methodology which
would be approproiate for a developing country like Malawi?
the aim is to assess both prevalence of various disabilies and to
establish what needs people with disabilities have from their health
service.
A particular area of interest would be on childhood physical disabilities
and consequent child/family needs from a health service. (needs for
appliances, mobility aids, physiotherapy / occupational therapy, surgery
etc being but a small number of issues to be addressed)
(other organisations are working on the wider and ultimately far more
imporant rights and needs that disabled persons have from society as a
whole)
From reading so far, WHO's ICF and WHODAS seem to be good models with a
holistic health philosphy. Does anybody have experience of using them to do
disability surveys in Africa -especially ones that focus on children?
> 2) Any experience how health services have successfully (or
unsuccessfully - learing from bad experience is just as valuable!)
addressed disability related issues in an african setting.
(I've already seen quite a bit of CBR material, but any particularly good
references, or non-CBR initiatives would be gratefully recieved)
>
> Thank you all very much in advance for your help and advice,
>
> Yours,
>
> Marko Kerac
> Paediatric Registrar,
> Queen Elizabeth Hospital,
> Blantyre
>
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