Embu County Government has received a major boost in provision of physiotherapy services following rehabilitation and equipping of a rehabilitation Unit at Runyenjes Level Four Hospital.
The only such unit in the county was rehabilitated and equipped by Christian Blind Mission (CBM) and Association for the Physically Disabled of Kenya (APDK) through the support of German Cooperation.
Additionally, the County received two new double cabin pickups to assist in ferrying of patients in need of the services but unable to access them due to mobility challenges.
The development comes as a relief given that the Embu is ranked among the counties with the highest disability prevalence at 4.4 percent which is above the national average of 2.2 percent as per National Population Data of 2019 census.
This, APDK Official, Benson Agesa, said is what informed their initiative of establishing a rehabilitation center in the county in a bid to help restore and improve mobility of patients to regain ability to carry out daily tasks.
Speaking while commissioning the unit on Saturday, Agesa said the unit will also offer occupational therapy and specialized medical interventions for both adults and young children born with various forms of physical deformities.
He added that the unit also has an orthopedic workshop for manufacturing and fitting of orthopedic devices such as prosthetics, external fixators and casts for immobilizing injured limbs.
Embu Deputy Governor Kinyua Mugo who was the chief guest during the occasion said the unit comes as a relief to people living with various forms of physical deformities given the grim statistics.
He called on parents of such children to take advantage of the unit so that they can be assisted to get their mobility back and live normal lives.
By Samuel Waititu
