09 Sep 2018

Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness, Mr Biggie Butale has appealed to the public to desist from excluding those with spinal cord injuries from actualising their needs for education and employment.

Addressing the public at the spinal cord injury day commemoration, held under the theme; In the Fight to Win Against Spinal Cord Injuries in Kasane recently, Mr Butale explained that inclusion of the affected would not only impact on them and their families, but the communities, the public at large and the country’s economy positively.

He said in order to win the fight against spinal cord injury, raising awareness on the prevention of such injury was essential.

He also noted that promotion of the highest standard of care for those affected was paramount, as well as inclusion of the affected across all spheres of life.

Mr Butale explained that the key to life after sustaining spinal cord injury was adequate rehabilitation interventions.

He acknowledged, however, that there was a substantial gap between the rehabilitation needs and what was actually available as rehabilitation services on the ground.

He therefore assured the public that his ministry was working tirelessly to correct the anomaly in this regard.

He said his ministry, in collaboration with Francistown city council and Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund, was about to open a specialised medical rehabilitation facility in the secon city.

Furthermore, Mr Butale noted that findings made by the World Health Organization (WHO) on spinal cord injuries revealed that majority of spinal cord injuries were due to preventable causes such as road traffic accidents, falls or violence, noting that in Botswana the leading cause of traumatic spinal cord injuries were road traffic accidents by 68 per cent, followed by violence and then falls.

He emphasised that spinal cord injuries could be prevented and it needed all hands on deck, thereby appealing to the public to all join in the fight against spinal cord injuries.

Mr Lesesa Mtonga of MVA Fund, said in an attempt to reduce road traffic accidents, they had joined hands with other organisations such as the police and transport department in educating the public about road safety.

He said they had also bought cars, for the police patrols to help curb accidents.

Giving a testimony as someone who has a spinal cord injury, Mr Percy Kasale said to him the day was a reminder of how far he had come.

He said despite the injury, he lived the life of any other ordinary individual and he was not only a successful businessman, but a husband and father to two children, all of which he achieved after the injury.

Mr Kasale encouraged the affected not to lose hope, saying self-acceptance was key.

Mr Eddy Dhliwayo, another one affected by the spinal cord injury, said living with the injury was not easy.

He said support from families as well as the community at large go a long way in helping one to come to full acceptance and be able to cope with the injury.

Mr Dhliwayo pleaded with the assistant minister to advocate for public places such as shopping malls to be made wheelchair-friendly. ENDS