Jodie's next vocational update...

Since the district conference we have been enjoying the hospitality of the Rotarians on the Coperbelt - Northern Zambia where, ironically, they mine a lot of copper (amongst other things, but you should check with the guys about that..)

In Ndola we visited the National Vocational Rehabilitation Centre, which is a residential facility for adults with disabilities to train in a variety of vocations. Unfortunately, there have been no students since February as there was supposed to be a strike by the staff, so the students were sent back to their homes. However, the strike didn't eventuate, and the staff have been there without any clients since. Regina, the Physiotherapist, has been seeing some clients privately to make some money for the centre. Hopefully the students will return soon. When the students are around, they have courses such as business and accountancy, agriculture, and home economics. The orthopaedic department is able to produce prosthetics for those who require it - the limbs are somewhat different to those you'd see in Australia, but they are doing a great job with the minimal resources and equipment they have.

The following day we visited Authur Davidson Children's Hospital, which is a 250 bed hospital - the only Children's hospital in the District, and one of only two (I think..) in the country. The main illnesses they see are TB, malaria, cholera, and infectious diseases such as chicken pox and the measles. The children with those infectious diseases are kept in hospital to keep the measles or chicken pox from spreading through the village. They have a physiotherapy department - located on the third floor, but without an elevator - which is staffed by two physios.

In Kitwe we visited the Valley View Basic School, which has a hearing impaired unit for around 22 students. The students are involved in a number of programs, and are taught with in the unit, as well as with the rest of the students. The students were curious to know a bit about Australia, and their teacher was able to interpret for us as their sign language is different to the signing we use in Australia.

Yesterday we visited Kalalushi Mining Hospital, where I spoke to the Physiotherapist who deals with the mining accidents, in particular Lower Back Pain injuries. They tend to use a lot of machines as opposed to hands-on physiotherapy. The clients are seen between 2 - 5 times a week. The physiotherapist is not involved in any training to prevent to incidence of injuries in the mines. This is taught by the First Aide Officers. We discussed the role therapists in Australia play when they are trying to prevent such workplace injuries, and the Consultant Surgeon said they may discuss it in the current review of the first aide training.

In the afternoon I visited Company Clinic, which is a private facility offering Physiotherapy amongst other medical facilities. Although they treat mainly adults, they run a clinic on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at the local church where children from the local area can come and receive treatment for a minimal fee. There is also an Occupational Therapist (!) working amongst the local villages as a missionary providing some group treatment to those in more remote areas. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to meet her.

Today we arrived in Luanshya and Fran and I visited the Dagama School for Children with Physical Disabilies. This is a Catholic run school and has just over 170 students from Grade 1 - Grade 12. Due to the decreasing incidence in Polio, this school now caters for students with intellectual impairment as well. Around 40 of their students do not have disabilities, but are considered 'vulnerable' children, either being single (one parent has passed away) or double (both parents have passed away) orphans. These children do not board at the school like the other children, but come from their homes in the local area for school. The school has a physiotherapist and a pool (but this can only be used in the warmer months as there it is not heated).

That't about all from me for now - just to clarify I haven't defected to becoming a Physiotherapist, I'm still an Occupational Therapist, trying to spread the word of the importance of my profession to hospital executives in Zambia!

Take care, Jodie : )