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Ibrahim Bukenya is the founder and principal physiotherapist at the Stroke Rehabilitation Center, home to the Stroke Foundation Uganda, in Kampala.
What has inspired you to be involved in stroke support?
The
inspiration was when I had a challenge in taking care of a mother who had a stroke
and later passed away and the fact that I had worked with the Stroke Rehabilitation Center for the last 8 years by then. There were challenges other
stroke survivors were going through and Uganda’s burden of stroke is
increasing every day. I want to help prevent people from going through this challenging condition, to minimise adult disability caused by stroke and to have a stroke free Uganda.
What does stroke support look like in
your country?
Stroke
support in Uganda is mainly about stroke survivors coming
together and encouraging each other to reach a common goal which is recovery
and to go back to work. The Stroke Rehabilitation Center helps the survivors who cannot afford the
rehabilitation costs. Our stroke
support groups have volunteers who go to visit the survivors to encourage them. The
stroke support group organises the World Stroke Day event with different activities to
help increase awareness.
How did the project come about?
The project came about after
realising the challenges the stroke survivors go through and the national stroke burden.
What have been some of the outcomes of the
project?
About 2% of
stroke survivors have recovered to 90% and gone back to work.
Stroke survivors
who have attended stroke support groups and rehabilitation treatments are promoting our name across the country, thanking and talking good about giving them
hope again and families have been saved from tearing apart due to the
counselling given to both care givers and survivors.
What has been the response from others-
community, doctor’s politicians?
In the community the mindset about stroke
has changed from the witchcraft perspective to rehabilitation and seeking early
treatment from hospitals rather than traditional healers.
Doctors are increasingly understanding how important rehabilitation is to the survivors and
we are already collaborating with some of them from the primary health facilities,
however, other doctors still think negatively that rehabilitation treatment is
competition to their work.
Politicians are getting to understand rehabilitation treatment through the
parliamentary health weeks and through their relatives that have attended the
support groups.
Stroke can
attack any one at any time affecting the economic viability of someone,
therefore stroke awareness prevention should be taken so seriously by knowing the risk
factors for stroke, the signs and symptoms and in case someone gets a stroke
to rush the person to the nearest hospital.
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