By Hassan Mumin

Abdulaziz's infectious smile welcomes us as we make our way through the narrow gate to their homestead for our 9^th session of physical and an occupational therapy follow-up visit since March 2020. Save the Children in collaboration with the Mandera County health management team is implementing disability health programming to identify and support children living with disabilities with rehabilitation services in hard to reach villages through a home-based care approach.

Abdul, as he is fondly called by his parents and siblings was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a condition caused by damage that occurs to the immature brain as it develops, most often before birth, at birth or shortly after.  Through the Save the Children's programme, Abdul has been receiving monthly visits by an occupational therapist at house-hold level who undertakes physical and occupational therapy to help him regain some of his muscle power . Marked improvement in muscles stiffness of the upper and lower limbs has been noted with reduced rigidity. Additionally, Abdul is also receiving training on standing and sitting with good progress. Sustained and regular medical support and social support will enable Abdul achieve full independence to accomplish normal everyday tasks.

“I greatly appreciate the efforts by Save the Children and Ministry of Health for the services they are offering to my child at our door steps. The nearest health facility is approximately 80 kilometres to Takaba sub-county referral hospital for the services,” said his mother.

Globally, cerebral palsy affects around 1.5 and 4 out of every 1,000 live births. There are no official statistics on the prevalence of cerebral palsy in Kenya, but some experts estimate that about three in every 100 children in the country currently live with the condition. According to the 2019 Census, 0.4% (2,526 persons) of the population in Mandera County have physical disability affecting their mobility in which Cerebral palsy falls. Cerebral palsy causes impaired and involuntary movement that can affect the ability to swallow, speak and control eye movements and can sometimes be accompanied by intellectual disability, blindness or deafness. According to Centre for Disease Control (CDC), 17 million people in the world have cerebral palsy being the most common physical disability in childhood.

"I have learnt a lot through the project monthly visits with training on how to do the physiotherapy at home. Tremendous improvements in my child’s condition have given me hope and encouragement to take care of a child with disabilities just like any other normal child," said his mother with some relief and smile.

Medical care and disability-friendly services being major challenges parents with children living with disability grapple with, Save the Children is supporting two sub-counties of Mandera West and Banisa in Mandera to identify and link them through a chain of trained community health volunteers and a designate occupational therapist to undertake a monthly household-level field visit in offering the critical basic life-saving services. Additionally, assistive devices have been provided to 10 children with mobility challenges to support them achieve their dreams. 

"I am looking forward to the reopening of schools next year now that Abdulaziz has his wheelchair, the burden of being carried on a wheelbarrow to school is no more," says Abdul's mother with excitement. 

"I would like Abdul to live just like anyone else without disability, play with friends, get an education and become a resourceful person,” affirmed his mother with zeal as she bid us farewell.