PEOPLE in Castries are celebrating the news of a Japanese Physical Therapist at the Castries Health Centre. This April, people in Castries will have direct access to a physical therapist following an initiative between the Ministry of Health, Wellness, Human Services and Gender Relations and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The role of the Physical Therapist (also known as Physiotherapist) is to improve mobility or restore mobility in patients who have diminished use of their limbs. Physical Therapists also work on keeping limbs moving and going before dysfunction occurs.
The treatment consists of exercises for strengthening and healing injuries or pain in all areas of the body, such as the back, the knees, hips and feet. A physical therapist will also work with patients to improve their balance and walking ability.
The main goal is to treat physical problems of the human body. They mainly work with persons whose movements have been hampered by disease, sports, age and their environment. They may also refine a patient’s fitness levels because the body’s condition will affect its reaction to any of the conditions mentioned above.
A session with a physical therapist typically includes tests on range of motion, balance, co-ordination, posture and muscle performance, for a start. Afterwards, the patient will be prescribed a treatment plan, to be administered by the therapist.
The volunteer will be dispatched under JICA’s Volunteer programme as a Senior Volunteer. Her term will last for two years, during which she will also visit other Health Centers in Castries and do house calls. However, she will be mainly attached to the Castries Health Centre for the duration of this time.
JICA/JOCV Saint Lucia is a Japanese agency which has partnered with the country and the people of Saint Lucia through bi-lateral agreements between the Government of Saint Lucia and the Government of Japan. Through this partnership, JICA/JOCV Saint Lucia is able to provide Grant Aid, Technical Cooperation, Volunteer assistance and other types of cooperation to the people of Saint Lucia. JICA/JOCV Saint Lucia has existed since 1995.
Why not use the opportunity and have her teach, instruct and educate other health workers across the island through work shops. Even if it requires the workers travelling to Castries to attend these workshops.
From a beneficial standpoint as well as from a service perspective, the island would stand to benefit much better as a whole than limiting such an opportunity to only one community.