Speaking in an exclusive interview with this reporter, Head of the Unit, Steven Moinina explained that the Centre was established in 2008 in order to help patients with the aforementioned diseases and also to raise awareness about the importance of physio in the rehabilitation of people.
Moinina explained further that he got the call to establish a Physio centre after he had completed about three months community Physio exercise with people living with Stroke and other paralysis.
“I discovered that there are more people suffering and dying of stroke and other forms of paralysis without going for treatments. I later understood that most of the people have little or no idea about
physiotherapy and how it will help rebuild people” he said, adding that he approached the management of UMC General Hospital with a proposal for the establishment of such a centre in the hospital and he
was inspired and encouraged by the then Dr. Dennis H. Marke who gave him a room and a parlor where he used for months on a voluntary basis.
However he said in 2007 UMC received some health professionals from USA called (Operation Doctors) who were inspired by the work of the center and promised to help with equipment’s and other training
fertility for the center to be fully functional.
“Few months after their return we received a container full of brand new physio equipment which we are presently using to run the centre and they provide capacity building training for our staff on a yearly
basis” he said.
Moinina revealed that from 2008 to date, about 4000 people have gone through their forensic hands and almost all of them were a success.
He said they normally give patients 3 hours to go through their physio exercises day in day out until the recovery process is certified. “40% of patients diagnosed with stroke normally get total recovery,
whereas 30% get moderate recovery and the remaining 30% find it difficult to be whole again” he said, pointing out that they normally see about 30 patients per day and that the number of patients
registering at the centre is growing daily.
Moinina admitted that he was pushed to study in that field because his father was paralyzed and died during the civil war in Sierra Leone because it was hard for him to be moved around.
“It gives me pleasure to see people who are in wheel chairs work again, people who have been condemned to paralysis recovered from their predicament, I wish I had the opportunity and facility to help those that are in need of physio” he said.
Madam Memunatu Bundu, a patient at the centre explained that when she was first taken to the centre, she can barely move her left foot or left hand but that due to the hard work of the workers at the centre
she can now move both parts and can now communicate well.
She commended the head of the centre for establishing such a centre. Ibrahim Kamara, another patient at the centre also expressed thanks and appreciation to the management and staff of the centre for their hard work and care shown to patients.
“It difficult to take care of people who are in wheel chairs, more so when you come in contact with people too weak to even talk” he said, calling on God to bless the workers of the centre and appealing to
Government to support the scheme.