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Wazakili M.1
1MagWaz Physiotherapy and Wellness Services, Physiotherapy, Lilongwe, Malawi
Background: The Healthy Communities programme was introduced in 2013, to meet the health promotion needs of young people and adults with intellectual disabilities. This is a population that is often left out of mainstream health care services because of inability to self-advocate for their own needs. Special Olympics International partnered with the University of Cape Town in collaboration with Special Olympics Malawi to evaluate the stated programme and establish its impact on the beneficiaries.
Purpose: It was important to determine the extent to which the Healthy Communities Programme has improved the health of young people and adults with intellectual disabilities, their families and communities in Malawi.
Methods: This qualitative study took place in Mchinji, Salima and Nkhatabay districts. Individual interviews were conducted among 15 young people with intellectual disabilities and Focus group discussions with 40 parents, health workers and community leaders in selected communities. Interviews were tape-recorded and data transcribed verbatim. A thematic content analysis was used to make sense of the data.
Results: On the whole, participants were happy with the introduction of the healthy communities programme in their communities. Young people and adults with intellectual disabilities benefitted from assessment and treatment of minor ailments. However, the participating population was not entirely satisfied because the programme was a once-off exercise of health screening for athletes, with limited follow up visits. Participants bemoaned unfulfilled promises about provision of farming inputs to improve production of food and help families start income generating activities.
Conclusion(s): The programme is critical for athletes, their families and communities and should not only be strengthened, but replicated in other parts of the country. There is also a need for strong collaboration among relevant stakeholders and government Ministries of Health, Education and Agriculture. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation is equally important.
Implications: It is clear that successful healthy communities programme needs a buy-in from multiple players such as the private sector, health and rehabilitation workers. Physiotherapists would play a critical role in promoting inclusivity, improving physical fitness of athletes through coordination and muscle strengthening exercises.
Funding acknowledgements: We are grateful to Special Olympics International for funding the evaluation project.
Topic: Professional practice: other
Ethics approval: Special Olympics International Protocal No: 2015-01; UCT- HREC Ref No: 668/2014 and NCST -Malawi Ref No: NCST/RTT/2/6.
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
