The situation of persons with disabilities, in particular in rural Nepal, is marked by difficulty and physical and geographical challenges, as well as societal exclusion.
A specific offer for people with disabilities, for instance physiotherapy, is not provided by government primary health services. In addition, people with disabilities are more likely to be illiterate due to barriers in accessing school, and existing government assistance often does not reach them.
By recruiting a physiotherapist, the planned programme therefore will ensure mobile care for people with disabilities in the project region with physiotherapeutic treatment and counselling. Supported by project staff of PHASE Nepal who have been working in the project area for some time (ANMs, Health Supervisor, agricultural technician) ,this person will implement a programme to sustainably improve the living environment and circumstances of PwDs in the project area.
In addition to physiotherapeutic services, which includes counselling for family members/carers (e.g. correct positioning in the bed, mobilization etc.), the project will focus on individual counselling and support to approx. 550 PwDs in the project area in accessing government assistance (for instance money transfers).
In addition, approx. 40 PwDs will be provided with mobility aids or other assistive devices (hearing aids, glasses etc.) according to their needs; for 25 PwDs, their living environment will be adapted to remove barriers; 15 children with disabilities will be given the opportunity to access school by providing material support; and 50 PwDs will be given material support and training, e. g. for mushroom farming, to gain an urgently needed additional income.
In particular the activities in the field of income generation are enormously important for the health outcomes, as PwDs in this region, which is in any case extremely poor and disadvantaged, often suffer from malnutrition and mental problems due to widespread discrimination and isolation. Their empowerment by giving them a chance to gain their living themselves is an important factor for mental and physical health.
We would like the City of Vienna for its support for this project.