Leading and advocating for change was the theme of a workshop delivered recently by World Physiotherapy chief executive officer Jonathon Kruger in Kuwait.
The 1-day workshop was part of the programme for the 3rd International Physiotherapy Conference, 6-8 March 2023, and organised by the Administration of Physical Therapy Services in the Ministry of Health Kuwait.
In his keynote address to the conference, Jonathon encouraged physiotherapists in Kuwait to join the Kuwaiti Physical Therapy Association: “A strong member association is critical to the development of the physiotherapy profession. For this reason, World Physiotherapy encourages all physiotherapists to join their professional organisation and to be active participants in their professional community.
“Only by having a strong national physiotherapy association is it possible to advocate for the profession to grow and mature.”
He also urged representatives from the Administration of Physical Therapy Services and representatives from the Ministry of Health to be bold and ambitious: “What is stopping Kuwait from being a centre of excellence for physiotherapy in this region or globally?
“Should there be more post graduate education opportunities here in Kuwait? I think this would be great. The more master’s and Phds that are undertaken here the more research that will be done here.
“Research on and with local communities for the benefit of those communities. Kuwaitis doing physiotherapy research to address Kuwaiti problems would be fantastic.”
The aim of the workshop on 7 March was to recognise physiotherapists practicing in a contemporary manner are required to have an understanding of management, leadership, and wider professional issues such as advocacy and implementation strategies for change and development.
