Kennedy V.K.1, Børresen M.2, Winther L.3, Netley H.2, Quartey J.4
1Duke University, Doctor of Physical Therapy Division, Durham, North Carolina, United States, 2Masanga Hospital Rehabilitation Project, Physiotherapy, Masanga, Sierra Leone, 3University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark, 4University of Ghana, Department of Physiotherapy, Accra, Ghana
Background: The WCPT Strategic Plan challenges physical therapists to collaborate across borders to share knowledge, promote physical therapy, and positively impact global health. Since the end of a devastating civil war, Sierra Leone has been immersed in rebuilding, including healthcare delivery. With no physical therapy education program and only two local degree-trained physical therapists in country, there is a gap in the management of physical rehabilitation and prevention of disabilities. The introduction of an educational program in physical therapy at tertiary level will target major issues of social exclusion and access to rehabilitation.
The Masanga Hospital Rehabilitation Project began as an effort to physically rebuild a depraved hospital, but soon became a practical training center for healthcare professionals. The project has been supported by volunteer physical therapists from Denmark and the United Kingdom.
The Masanga Hospital Rehabilitation Project began as an effort to physically rebuild a depraved hospital, but soon became a practical training center for healthcare professionals. The project has been supported by volunteer physical therapists from Denmark and the United Kingdom.
Purpose: To develop a degree-granting physical therapy program in Sierra Leone in collaboration with academicians from Denmark, Ghana, and the United States.
Methods: Utilizing WCPT guidelines, a curriculum was drafted and vetted by volunteer therapists, local therapists and university administrators, and partner academicians. Meanwhile, the local development team worked with partner academicians to develop a strategy for garnering support from the local clinical community. Additionally, support was solicited from international university partners to provide volunteer instructors, funding, and provision of innovative solutions for reference literature.
Results: The current development team represents local healthcare and educational communities and international partners from four other countries. The curriculum has been submitted to the Ministry of Health and Sanitation. Former volunteer therapists have returned to their home countries and garnered university support for provision of qualified course instructors. A strategy to educate and recruit partners from local hospitals to support clinical education is underway. Additionally, the clinical education team is working to recruit qualified clinical instructors, anticipating a more significant need for support from the international community until the workforce can support clinical education locally.
Challenges have included ensuring government recognition of physical therapy as a profession, obtaining funding for building and restoration of facilities and for supporting local and international workforce, and collecting relevant literature.
Conclusion(s): Navigation of and integration with the countrys educational landscape and existing healthcare system is key in developing a culturally appropriate strategic plan for a countrys first physical therapy education program. International partners provide critical experience in curricular development and they will be called upon to support teaching during the first years of program operation; however, local stakeholders with working knowledge of the cultural, political, and social environments must be responsible for championing efforts locally. The program is expected to commence in late 2017.
Implications: As the global community of physical therapists works to meet the WCPT Strategic Plan goal of international collaboration in education leading to improved access to physical therapy services, lessons learned from program development groups may be a critical reference for teams navigating landscapes in other areas. Future goals may include the development of a guide to developing physical therapy programs in countries where none exist.
Funding acknowledgements: We would like to acknowledge all who contributed to the grassroots funding of this project.
Topic: Education
Ethics approval: Ethics approval was not required for this program.
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
