THE National Rehabilitation and Disability Division, Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) commemorated World Physiotherapy Day last week with various activities that ran for the whole week.
The activities were concluded with a thanksgiving service at the Physiotherapy Gym, National Referral Hospital Rehabilitation Department, on Sunday, 8 September 2024.
World Physiotherapy Day, celebrated annually on September 8th, recognizes the contributions of physiotherapists to health, mobility, and well-being. The 2024 theme, “Lower Back Pain (LBP),” emphasizes the importance of rehabilitation in all stages of LBP, helping people recover, return to activities, and maintain independence. Physiotherapists provide expert advice, guidance, and treatment for LBP, improving health and reducing the risk of future episodes.
The highlights of the Physiotherapy Week celebration in Honiara included awareness talks through the National Referral Hospital (NRH) PA system, group therapeutic exercises in the wards with patients, caregivers, and health officers, the handing over of donated wheelchairs facilitated by Dr. Chester Kuma, and the sharing of gifts with patients as a gesture of connection and care.
During the thanksgiving service on Sunday, Reverend Patrick Ngassi shared a scripture from the Gospel of Mark 2:3-11, where four men brought a paralyzed man to Jesus. Unable to get through the crowd, they dug a hole through the roof to lower the man in front of Jesus. Reverend Ngassi emphasized the teamwork, compassion, and support of the four men, noting how they overcame barriers to seek healing for their friend. He likened their persistence, creativity, and collaboration with the work of physiotherapists in restoring patients’ function and quality of life.
Reflecting on the physiotherapy service, Disability and Programs Coordinator, Mr. Elwin Taloimatakwa, acknowledged the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Sisters for introducing physiotherapy in the Solomon Islands to help leprosy patients at Tetere Leprosy Center in Guadalcanal Province and Fauabu Leprosy Center in Malaita Province. He highlighted the role of community-based rehabilitation as an extension of physiotherapy into the community and concluded by calling physiotherapy the “spinal cord” of rehabilitation services. Over the years, physiotherapists have touched many lives, using their hands as tools of healing to restore function and improve the quality of life for their patients.
In her closing statement, National Rehabilitation and Disability Division Director Mrs. Elsie Taloafiri thanked Chief Rehabilitation Officer Mrs. Regina Lebo, Senior Physiotherapist Mrs. Leanne Maqiti Ngassi, and all the rehabilitation officers for their efforts in making the week’s activities a success.
She also extended her gratitude to National Referral Hospital Administration, represented by Officer assisting Hospital Secretary Mrs. Barbara Pwaisiho, Reverend Patrick Ngassi for delivering the thanksgiving message, the Solomon Islands Allied Health Association for supporting the promotion of the physiotherapy profession, and Dr. Chester Kuma for facilitating the donation of wheelchairs and gifts. Special thanks were given to the patients, caregivers, and health workers for their participation, with all praise and glory offered to God for His continued blessings and guidance in the nation’s rehabilitation and disability development.
