Preventing and Helping people with physical disability

Since 2017,till date, because of the anglophone crises that has been hitting the North and the South West Region of Cameroon.The trend for the number of people living with physical disability has been at the peak. This has not only left many injured, disabled, traumatized,but has also cripple the economy of the region.many can't afford their treatment  bills. The aim of ZEPDA is to help this people regain maximum mobility  function and independence at an affordable fee.

-The type of work done by most people in this region do to earn a living,has predisposed them to alot of work related injuries like back pain,neck pain, musculoskeletal problems.These conditions if not treated can lead to physical disability. ZEPDA through Ergonomics will build the people in this region their capacity to maintain their health.

-Alot of people in this region suffers massive health challenges like high blood pressure, Diabetes, osteoarthritis, obesity, depression, respiratory failure, heart problems,stroke just to name a few. These conditions if not prevented it can result to physical disability. ZEPDA will prevent it by opening a fitness center.

- Because of the crises,many are injured,many are disabled and needs treatment. ZEPDA through Physiotherapy will help in the rehabilitation process by restoring body systems like musculoskeletal neuromuscular, neurological cardiorespiratory.

- Correcting congenital deformities like club foot,genu varus and valgus,genu rectivatum.erb's palsy, cerebral palsy. These conditions if not addressed at an early stage can result to physical disability.

To reduce high health and social care for people with physical difficulties. Because of poor roads and high transportation cost , patients that suffer spinal cord injury, stroke, paralysis, bedridden patients,find it difficult to reach their treatment center. ZEPDA through home Physiotherapy will reachout to such patients in the community.

Also to reduce high social care and help people with physical disability regain maximum independence by opening a vocational training center  for hair dressing, pedicure and manicure,needle work like the marking of North West traditional wears,shoe making.

- Limited treatment center for persons living with physical disability. The are only 9 Treatment centers ,13 trained registered Physiotherapists (according to the North West Cameroon society of Physiotherapists 2023 statistics) to service a population of 594,000(according to the Bamenda 2023 statistics)

ZEPDA's  aim is to prevent and help people with physical disability resulting from illness, injury, birth, obesity, disability,muscle weakness irrespective  of age, sex, color ,race, religion regain maximum mobility, function and independence 

-ZEPDA operates in the following domains

1)Assists in the Rehabilitation process by restoring body systems like musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, neurological, cardiorespiratory. This is done through  physiotherapy which is the use of massage,(soft tissue manipulation), exercises and therapeutic modalities for therapeutic purposes. This is also done by correcting deformities like congenital deformities like club foot, fractures, using Plaster of Paris (POP)

2) Building people's Capacity to maintain their health.This  is done through 

-Ergonomics which is the process of designing and arranging a work place and system in a way that fit the individual and prevent work and system related injuries like back pain, neck pain, sciatica,cervicagia, 

-By creating a fitness center for exercises and brisk exercises. This will help prevent Massive health challenges like obesity, osteoarthritis, heart problems, respiratory failures,high blood pressure, diabetes that can cause physical disability.

 -ZEPDA prefers a fitness center because the gym instructors will show the clients how to perform their chosen exercise safetly and effectively.

-In the gym the risk of injury is reduced.

-In a gym you don't need to worry about unpleasant weather  or weather when riding a stationary bicycle or running on a treadmill.

-Beyond fitness,it allow people to find a sense of belonging and at times support people through some difficult moment.

-When you are physically and mentally fit ,you are less prone to diseases

3) Reducing high and social care by

- Reaching out in the community to do home Physiotherapy to patients that can't  be transported to the hospital because of high transportation cost and bad roads.

- Creating a vocational training center. This is to trained physical disabled persons how to do,hair dressing,manicure , pedicure, marking of traditional wears,and shoe making.

ZEPDA will serve the  the entire population of Bamenda in the North West Region of Cameroon. This population is underdeserve because of the anglophone crises that has been hitting the region since 2017 till date.this has not only left many injured, disabled , traumatized, but has also crippled the economy of the region.There are also limited treatment centres for persons with physical difficulties in this region. ZEPDA works with the following group of persons

-Pediatric (children , to address functional impairment in children example erb's palsy, cerebral palsy,down syndrome,club foot)

-Geriatric,( old,to restore function and enhance residual functional capabilities and improve the quality of life in older persons)

-Obstetric (Pregnant and postnatal women ,treat common symptoms during pregnancy and after delivery like pelvic girdle pain, sciatica, urinary incontinence,linea alba)

-Urology pelvic (people with urinary incontinence and pelvic muscle floor weakness)

- Cardiorespiratory ( client that suffers disease and injuries of the heart and lungs.example bronchitis,emphysema.

- Neurological ( individual that suffers disorders that impair the functioning of the brain ,spinal cord and the nerves.example stroke,spinal cord injuries.

- Neuromuscular ( individual that suffers disorders that affect muscle resulting in weakness, joint tightness, stiffness and functional problems.example sciatica).

-Musculosketal ( individual,that suffers injury, disorders that affect joint, muscle,tendons,bones. example sprains, fractures, strains

-Individuals that  suffers massive health challenges that can be combat with exercises like obesity, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes,lungs and heart problems.

ZEPDA will impact their lives because the services rendered will enable them regain maximum mobility, function and independence hence preventing  them from being physically disabled. It will also

-Reduce high health and social care.

-Build their capacity to maintain their health.

ZEPDA is located at the heart of the city. Also Some of the members ,Patron and Patroness are medical doctors and nurses ,Most at times they come across persons with physical Physical Disability  or person that are suffering from conditions that can cause physical disability at their place of work.So these patients are referred to ZEPDA for treatment 

ZEPDA also talk with hospital in the region especially those that don't have treatment centers for persons with physical Disability,to always refer patients with physical disability ,or person that are suffering from conditions that can lead to Physical Disability if not treated to ZEPDA.

Patients that can't afford their Physical treatment fee or live in distant places  places are also refer to ZEPDA by most hospitals  in this region.

ZEPDA also do alot of man to man sensitization about the Association.

ZEPDA at the moment is still at it's infancy and so is currently doing  home physiotherapy . Presently , ZEPDA is doing home physiotherapy for 45patients at a reduced costs. This is because ZEPDA is not yet having

- A building (structure)

- A Rehabilitation unit.

- A fitness unit.

- A vocational training unit.

- A plaster of Paris unit.

- Limited therapeutic equipments

- A service car ,to reach out in the community.

As stated above, ZEPDA is still at it infancy and is not yet having

- A building or structure where all services will be rendered example, a rehabilitation unit, fitness unit, Plaster of Paris (POP) unit, vocational training unit.

ZEPDA also have limited therapeutic modalities and also need a service car for easy accessibility to the community.

ZEPDA will be grateful and will deeply appreciate if it is  supported  by Solve either in cash or in kind.

ZEPDA is innovative because ,  unlike many treatment centers in this region that focused on treating conditions that can result to Physical Disability, ZEPDA is aimed at preventing Physical Disability, treating, and help people with physical disability regain maximum mobility function and independence., reducing high health and social care by reaching out to the community to do home physiotherapy.this is scarely done by treatment centers in this region.

Most treatment centers in the region don't have a  fitness unit and vocational training center attached to it.

ZEPDA intern to span a cross the 10 regions of Cameroon in the next 5years This will be archieve by creating rehabilitation centers, fitness center, POP  center, vocational training center. ZEPDA through it preventive and treatment method of ergonomics , soft tissue manipulation  exercises and POP., Limited people will be living with physical disability. This  is because ZEPDA will go a long way to 

- Assists in the rehabilitation process,by restoring body systems like musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, neurological, cardiorespiratory and Urological.

- Builds people capacity to maintain their health.,

-Reduce high social care.

-Reduce high health care.

ZEPDA's aim is to establish a firm and long lasting centre that will service  70% of the North West population latest June 2024. As a long term goal it aim is to span across the 10 regions of Cameroon. This will be done through

1) Man to Man sensitization, telling people of good will about the Association and it's objectives.

2) Educating the population about the work done by ZEPDA, through 

- social media.

- Churches

- Radio stations.

- Hospitals in the North West Region especially those with no treatment center for Persons with physical disability.

ZEPDA  will have an impact on this problem because it 's vision is to establish  a firm and long lasting centre to prevent and help people with physical disability resulting from illness,birth, obesity, muscle weakness, injury, irrespective of age ,sex, religion,race, color, religion regain maximum mobility , function and independence;at an affordable fee. ZEPDA is doing this because of the anglophone crises that has been hitting the North West and south West of Cameroon since 2017 till date. This has not only left many in this region injured, disabled, traumatized but has also crippled the economy of the region so many can't afford for their Physical treatment fee. Also the work done by people in this region to earn a living predisposes them to alot of musculoskeletal , neuromuscular, pathologies that if not treated can lead to Physical Disability. Again many people in this region suffers massive health challenges like high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, osteoarthritis,.these conditions if not prevented and lead to Physical Disability. There are also limited treatment centers that treat conditions that can cause Physical Disability in the North West Region of Cameroon.

ZEPDA mission is to ensure that the services rendered are directed to complete well being of our above potential clients and also ensure that they go home satisfied.

The key Technology offer by ZEPDA is to 

1)assists in the rehabilitation process by restoring body systems like musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, neurological, cardiorespiratory.this is done through the use of soft tissue manipulation (massage),and therapeutic modalities.

2)Use of plasters of Paris (POP) to correct fractures, congenital deformities like club foot.

3)Use of exercises to prevent pathologies like obesity, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, heart and lungs problems that can cause physical disability.

4)Use of Ergonomics which the process of designing and arranging a work place and system in a way that fit the individual using the system or work place.This to  prevent musculoskeletal pathologies and work related pathologies that if not treated can lead to Physical Disability.

5) vocational training,for people with physical disabled persons. This is to reduce high social care

 ZEPDA is incorporating diversity , equity and inclusion by making sure that  the  services  rendered  by  ZEPDA is not limited to a particular group of people but is open to everyone , anywhere irrespective of Financial status, color, age,race, religion,and sex.

- Secondly , membership to the association is open to everyone in the world , irrespective of sex, color, race and religion.

- Members of the association has the right to elect and to be elected.

- Members has the right to speak freely in meetings but in respectfully and orderly manner.

- Members of the association are entitled to have their names on the electoral register and eligible to stand for elections for any post of responsibility.

- Members of the association are eligible to take part in activity or any training session.

- Aleast 2 women are elected as members of the association board each time.

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ZEPDA'S plan to maintain the sustainability of the association is to.

-Assists in the rehabilitation process and provide Physical therapy treatment to the population both in the center and community  at an affordable price.

-Create  a fitness center for exercises at an affordable price.

- Treatment via ergonomics at an affordable price..

The association  also interns to sell, working aids like crutches,Canes,walkers, wheelchairs,and also supportive devices like lumbar belt, knee braces, ankle braces, compression socks, neck collar, sports wears,and also therapeutic modalities like infarad lamps,TENS mechine, hot packs, electrodes. This will help for the sustainability of the center.

The Financial strength of the Association will be back by

1)By the registration fee of members of the association.

2) Annual dues paid by members of the association

3)Funds from persons of good will within and out of the country.

4) Affordable fee paid by client.

All the financial transaction are set forth for the Association vision and objective.

ZEPDA currently has a work force of 3 Physiotherapists. They  reach out to the community to do home physiotherapy to client and also advise most people in the community on Ergonomics.

Each member of ZEPDA pays an annual due of 100$ and a registration fee of 20$. currently ZEPDA has 8members.

- ZEPDA charge it client 4$ for a session in the community.

- ZEPDA recently recieved  fund from a Patroness of the association who is base in USA.2000$.part has been used to pay the salaries of the Physiotherapists,that goes to the community and also purchase a land to establish a good structure where it services will be rendered .