By Chioma Obinna
After 50 years of Independence, Nigeria has only one physiotherapist attending to 30 patients in most hospitals across the country, a situation experts in the study and practice of Physiotherapy say it is a far cry from the World Health Organisation’s recommendation.

Ideally, WHO recommends1 physiotherapist to eight patients unfortunately, Nigeria has less than 1000 physiotherapists serving 140 million people which means that most hospitals have very few or no physiotherapists attending to orthopaedic and  trauma patients.

Reacting to the situation during the launch of a handbook entitled: “The Role of Physiotherapy in Orthopaedic and Traumatic Conditions”, an expert  in the study and practice of physiotherapy, Mrs. Modupe Adesanya said physiotherapy education is one of the  major factors in enhancing healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

She lamented shortage of  professionals in physiotherapy and said  primary knowledge of the practise would accord stakeholders, the public, students and other professionals to respond effectively to emergencies, traumatic conditions and also foster cooperation among healthcare providers.

“In National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, alone, we see not less than 60 patients daily, and this will tell you the magnitude of work physiotherapists do. Even when Igbobi has the highest number of physiotherapists in the country, only one physiotherapist attends to 30 patients.”

Adesanya told Good Health Weekly, that the handbook which was written from an inspiration she conceived from God 10 years ago and her experience  as a clinician and educator at the NOHL, Igbobi, Lagos for 21 years, would bridge the gap between professionals in the health sector.

According to her, physiotherapy is a profession concerned with the assessment, maintenance and restoration of physical functions and performance of the body with the use of physical modalities.

Adesanya who stressed that it is high time people break away from the belief that healthcare is only about medical doctors and nurses said the long negligence of physiotherapists despite their bulk of responsibility in the teamwork had put so many traumatic and orthopaedic patients at risk.

“For policy makers, this handbook will show them what the physiotherapists can do. It will help them to know beyond doctors and nurses in the hospital there is a profession that actually determines what happens to that patient, after the surgeon finishes his surgery and the patient cannot use the limbs. For the general public, for the nurses, professionals in health care it will serve as a tool.

The Book Reviewer, Dr. Pascal Mogbo, Chief Executive of Preferred, noted that the high point of the 54 page- handbook was its simplicity of presentation for general understanding.

“I found the book very interesting, informative and instructive. Though the purpose of the book according to the author is to provide a ready guide for post basic nurses in whose curriculum is the role of physiotherapy in the management of orthopaedic conditions. In my opinion, this handbook will find use in the hands of all health professionals, students, educators including practicing physiotherapists as a quick reference material,”