Embu gets physiotherapy rehabilitation centre

SAMUEL WAITITU- KNA 

The Embu County Government has received a boost in the provision of physiotherapy services following the successful rehabilitation and equipping of a specialized unit at Runyenjes Level Four Hospital.

This facility, the only one of its kind in the county, has been upgraded through the collaborative efforts of Christian Blind Mission (CBM) and the Association for the Physically Disabled of Kenya (APDK), with generous support from the German Cooperation.

In addition, the County has received two new double-cabin pickups to support the transportation of patients who required the services but were previously unable to access them due to mobility challenges.

The development comes as a relief given that Embu is ranked among the counties with the highest disability prevalence at 4.4 per cent, above the national average of 2.2 per cent as per National Population Data of 2019 census. 

According to APDK official Benson Agesa, that had been the driving force behind their initiative to establish a rehabilitation centre in the county with the aim of restoring and improving patients’ mobility and enabling them to regain the ability to perform everyday tasks.

Speaking during the commissioning of the unit, Agesa acknowledged that the facility would also provide occupational therapy, along with specialized medical interventions for both adults and young children born with various physical deformities.

He further noted that the unit had also been equipped with an orthopedic workshop, dedicated to the manufacturing and fitting of assistive devices including prosthetics, external fixators, and immobilization casts for patients with limb injuries.

Embu Deputy Governor Kinyua Mugo, who served as the chief guest at the event, stated that the unit had come as a welcome relief for individuals living with various physical deformities particularly in light of the sobering statistics that underscored the urgent need for such services.