The Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Registration Board of Nigeria (MRTB), has called for an inter-sectoral approach for the implementation of the Rehabilitation 2030 agenda in Nigeria.
It also called on the federal, state governments, national and state assemblies, relevant ministries and government agencies, Non-governmental Organizations and other relevant stakeholders to intensify efforts towards the implementation of the resolutions of the stakeholders meeting in line with the guidelines of the Rehabilitation 2030 agenda.
A communique signed by the Registrar, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MRTB, Prof. Rufai Yusuf Ahmad, at the end of the stakeholders meeting on implementation of rehabilitation 2030 tagged: ‘training practice and regulation’, in Abuja, noted that there is lack of a National Policy on Rehabilitation and resolved that there should be a National Policy on Rehabilitation to be facilitated by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
“There is the need for review of National Health Financial policies with a view to developing strategies to fund rehabilitation in order to reduce out-of-pocket spending and increased access to Universal Health Coverage.”
“A National Technical Working Group on rehabilitation should be constituted and domiciled within the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to be saddled with the responsibility of coordinating Rehabilitation policy development and implementation.
“There should be a Directorate of Medical Rehabilitation Services headed by a Medical Rehabilitation expert in the Federal and State Ministries of Health and other Medical Rehabilitation units in relevant agencies that will be responsible for coordinating all rehabilitation issues, including ensuring that rehabilitation receives adequate allocation and organizational funds are properly utilized.”
It was also emphasized that not all health professionals are knowledgeable about Medical Rehabilitation and this affects referrals and multidisciplinary approach to patient care.
It was therefore resolved that the Federal Ministry of Health, the Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Board of Nigeria, and Hospital managements should facilitate update courses on rehabilitation for all health professionals and workers.
“This will help to create awareness on what rehabilitation professionals do and may foster more collaboration in patients’ care.
“All health professions to be trained on concepts of medical rehabilitation through inclusion of medical rehabilitation concepts in curricula to enhance referrals and multidisciplinary approach to rehabilitation care.
“There is a need to enhance the establishment of seamless referral and coordination systems to enable collaboration between specialized professionals in tertiary and secondary hospitals and rehabilitation professionals in primary health care; in order to render timely joint interventions and support services when required, this would guarantee high-quality rehabilitation services.”
The communique also noted that Medical Rehabilitation programs such as Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Audiology and Prosthetics and Orthotics are offered in very few Universities.
It, therefore, resolved that the Federal and State Ministries of Education, National Assembly, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), National Universities Commission (NUC), NBTE (National Board for Technical Education, Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Board (MRTB) and other relevant regulatory bodies to ensure establishment and regulation of Medical Rehabilitation programmes in institutions in the country through provision of funds and other necessary mechanisms.
“The Federal and State governments to consider employment of full complement of medical rehabilitation professionals at the primary, secondary and tertiary health care levels to facilitate effective integration of rehabilitation into Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
“National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to develop policies and advocate for the integration of Medical Rehabilitation in Primary Health Care.
“National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is also expected to play vital roles in posting corps members to engage in rehabilitation support and basic rehabilitation services at primary health care level.
“A review of National Health Insurance Authority packages to enhance rehabilitation through allocation of adequate number of sessions and insurance coverage of assistive devices.
“The Federal Government to consider providing incentives including tax waiver on rehabilitation equipment and devices to lower costs,” it reads in part.