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A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO DISABILITY REHABILITATION: THE CASE OF A PERSON WITH DISABILITY

Haider Darain, Abdulhameed Alkitani, Muhammad Kashif, Javaid Ghani, Muhammad Ibrar, Najat Soboh El-ziq

Abstract


Background and purpose: Community-based rehabilitation programs focus on identifying available resources in the community in order to support the patients. Resource Information Centers (RICs) play a vital role in mobilizing these resources by disseminating appropriate information among the stakeholders. However, little has been reported in the literature about the specific roles associated with RICs. In this study, we report the role of RICs as part of a community-based rehabilitation program (CBRP) for a person with disability.

Method: A 34-year-old male with left leg above knee amputation was identified during our field visit. The field visit was undertaken by members of a RIC visit to the areas affected by an earthquake in Pakistan in October 2005. The Government of Pakistan, in collaboration with some national and international organizations, had introduced a 3-year program (2007-2010) in which community-based rehabilitation programs were made available for areas affected by earthquakes. The patient was initially referred to another organization that was working on providing rehabilitation service for persons with disability. He was provided with an artificial leg prosthesis for which he had been referred.

Results: After receiving the artificial limb, the patient managed to return to his previous occupation which ultimately improved his financial status. Moreover, an improvement in his social integration was observed in the form of his ability to attend social meetings and ceremonies.

Conclusion: The patient case we discuss is, we suggest, illustrative of the majority of people with disabilities (PWDs) in countries such as Pakistan are unaware of the exiting services designed to help them to manage their disability. The financial constraints of the PWDs might be overcome by offering guidance on how to access the available resource in their community. Such actions significantly increase the provision of person-centered healthcare.


Keywords


Community-based rehabilitation, developing countries, disability, multidisciplinary care, people with disabilities (PWD), person-centered healthcare, rehabilitation, resource information centres

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5750/ejpch.v3i2.949

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