Empowering Ugandan rehabilitation leaders at the World Physiotherapy Africa Region Congress 2024
A group of dedicated Ugandan rehabilitation professionals had the opportunity to present about their work on the ReLAB-HS International Rehabilitation Education and Training Toolkit (IRETT) at this year’s World Physiotherapy Africa Region Congress in Cape Town in September 2024.
The World Physiotherapy Africa Region Congress in Cape Town this year was a wonderful meeting of professionals from all all over the globe. It was a particularly notable experience for four rehabilitation professionals from Uganda, who – thanks to funding from USAID through the ReLAB-HS activity – attended the conference to present about their work implementing the International Rehabilitation Education and Training Toolkit (IRETT).
The importance of a robust and united rehabilitation workforce can not be overstated, especially in meeting the increasing demand for rehabilitation services, particularly in regions with limited resources such as Uganda. Calvin Kisembo (speech and language therapist), Magaret Namatovu (orthopaedic technician), Amon Nuwahereza (physiotherapist) and Herbert Omoding have been working with professional associations, regulatory bodies, and training institutions to implement the IRETT to leverage interprofessional collaboration as a means of strengthening workforce development activities in the country. As a result of their exceptional work they were selected to present their achievements to their colleagues throughout Africa at the congress in Cape Town. Financial constraints and lack of experience makes it almost impossible for many rehabilitation professionals in Uganda to participate in international events and this was the first time that most of this team had attended or presented at an international conference.
Calvin Kisembo, Magaret Namatovu, Herbert Omoding and Yara Peterko, preparing for the IRETT presentations during a lunch break.
The Physiopedia team as part of the ReLAB-HS activity supported the Ugandan rehabilitation professionals throughout their journey, from implementing the IRETT tools to delivering the presentations. The support consisted of mentoring to write and submit the abstracts, preparing for the presentations and navigating the conference experience, and finally delivering the presentations. Many practice sessions helped solidify the team’s confidence and readiness.
“I am [now] definitely more confident as an academic…the networking actually gave me hope that we can move heights together.” – Amon Nuwahereza, Ugandan physiotherapist
The congress not only provided a platform for the Ugandan team to share their achievements but also served as a valuable learning and networking opportunity. The experience has motivated the team to encourage more research within Uganda’s rehabilitation community, where participation in research has historically been low.
“I’m planning to write research projects and help others build their research skills, which will take our association to another level.” – Magaret Namatovu, Ugandan orthopaedic technician
The Ugandan team is determined to share the insights and knowledge gained from the congress with their colleagues, students, and wider professional networks. Amon has already begun applying his learnings, particularly in the context of curriculum development for a master’s program in physiotherapy in Uganda, and the group are collaboratively working to implement Uganda’s first interprofessional online training programme on the topic of research and abstract writing.
Herbert highlighted how the experience demonstrated the power of working together: “It is very hard usually to find that relationship between rehabilitation professionals. We always think the next rehab professional is going to be snatching away either patients or services from you, and yet actually we can complement each other for the betterment of the services that we offer, but also the people we work with.” And it was this collaboration between the different professions that really stood out to the presentation audience. The team was complimented for the great work achieved through the collaborative use of the IRETT tools.
The team (Herbert Omoding PT, Margaret Namatovu OTT, Calvin Kisembo SLT, and Amon Nuwahereza PT) are deeply grateful to USAID for the experience, as well as to Victor Alochi, President of the Occupational Therapy Association of Uganda, for his contributions in the lead up to the conference. Being selected to present their abstracts was a great moment of pride, reflecting the collective dedication and effort that went into their preparation.
The presenters from Uganda and the Physiopedia Team coming together for a group photo after the successful presentations of the work that has been done in Uganda during the implementation of the IRETT Tools.
With a renewed focus on interprofessional collaboration and research, the team is poised to drive the field forward in Uganda. Their journey to Cape Town was more than just a chance to present—it was a catalyst for change that will continue to influence the future of rehabilitation in Uganda.
This work is part of the ReLAB-HS activity and is made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).