Members of the Nigerian Society of Physiotherapy (NSP) have called on the Federal Government to declare state of emergency on the practice of physiotherapy in the country.
The national president of the NSP, Mr Taiwo Oyewumi made the call at the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Lokoja at this Year’s celebration World Physiotherapy Day on Tuesday.
He said the nation required over 42,000 physiotherapists to manage the nation health system which he described as old fashioned and lack adequate professional personnels accross the country.
Oyewumi described physiotherapists job as trained persons trained to help promote and sustain healthy long life just as he frown at government’s neglect and blamed many premature death of Nigerians on government’s inability to provide modern physiotherapy equipments and shortage of trained personnels across the country.
“As against the 42,000 physiotherapists required to cater for the country, only about 4000 physiotherapists are registered and certified and we currently have about 1000 physiotherapists gainfully employed, the rest are working outside the country, this to us, is a state of emergency,” begins the Oyewunmi.
“Physiotherapists are very essential to all professions or field as they work in the academic settings, sporting environments, primary health care centre, military among others.
“Our members are ready to drive medical tourism in Nigeria if more physiotherapists are employed and right equipment is provided and we believe this will impact positively on the health status of Nigerians and safe a lot of monies spent on medical expenses outside Nigeria”
“There is for Directorate of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation in the Federal Ministry of Health that will boost decision and policy making regarding physiotherapy and medical rehabilitation issues, with this we implore government at all levels as matter of urgency to relate with NSP on setting up a world model rehabilitation centers in the six-geopolitical zones in the country,” the NSP president said.
Mr Oyewunmi however called on President Muhammad Buhari to make a professional physical therapist as the new head of Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Board, MRTB which will assist the body to function effectively.
Head of Physiotherapy Department at Federal Medical Centre, FMC Mrs Tayo Eniolohunda used the forum to call on the centre’s management for more staffs and updated equipments as she revealed that both The FMC and Kogi State Specialist Hospital have only seven Physical Therapists.
The Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy, NSP that was founded in 1959 is the umbrella body responsible for all Physiotherapists in Nigeria. The NSP is a member of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy, WCPT, founded in 1951.
The WCPT is the sole international voice for physical therapy, representing more than 350,000 physical therapists worldwide through its 111 member organizations.
The World Physiotherapy Day, marked 8th September every year has this year’s message as “Fulfilling Potential” as the body determined to further help people move and function throughout their lives span.
