Physical Rehabilitation Activity (PRA)

Physical Rehabilitation Activity (PRA) aims to improve the mobility and functional independence of conflict-affected civilians and women, men, girls and boys in need of rehabilitation services, in Nepal, through the establishment of a sustainable integrated, public-private rehabilitation. USAID supported the STRIDE program completed in January 2019 after nine years of the implementation period, 48,000 beneficiaries received quality physical rehabilitation services from specialized centre, mobile rehabilitation camps and through community follow up approach. However a sustainabiliity of physical rehabilitation centre (PRCs) managed by private stakeholders remains an issue as a majority of benefeciaries fall in low income quintiles and cannot afford services and assistive technology cost. PRA program support to integrate the PRCs into a strong and extensive public rehabilitation system which will help to sustain thus a quality rehabilitation system affordable to all. PRA support LCDMS in developing and implementing guidelines to accompany service delivery, workforce development and data management at federal, provincial, and municipal levels. The project will work in close collaboration with the LCDMS, NHTC, Provincial Government (Ministry of Social Development), WHO, PRCs, Professional National Associations, and other USAID funded program.

Project Objectives

1. The quality of the rehabilitation services is enhanced
2. Access to rehabilitation services is increased
3. The sustainability of PRCs is strengthened

Assistive Device and Livelihood Support Project for Earthquake Affected Persons with Disabilities

In April 2015, Nepal was hit by a 7.3 magnitude Earthquake. Altogether, 8,979 people lost their lives and 22,309 were injured in the 2015 earthquakes. Okhaldhunga, Dolakha, Ramechhap, Sindhupalchok, Kavrepalanchok, Sindhuli, Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Gorkha and Makwanpur district were highly affected by Earthquake. Hundreds of thousands of private houses, government buildings, schools, health institutions and historic and archeological heritage sites were damaged. Thousands of people lost their lives, homes, families and income sources. Many people became person with disability due to Earthquake. Persons with Disabilities were double victimized from Earthquake. Due to lack of social security schemes, shelter and relief, occupation, persons with disabilities and their family members were facing economic, social obstacles on their daily life. Persons with Disabilities are the first victim of any types Disasters.

Disaster made more lots of hurdle to fulfil Persons with Disabilities basic needs and necessities. Persons with Disabilities are pushing backward and lost their mobilization and limited in the shelter premises. However due to the lack of proper knowledge, experiences and skills with municipalities, local organizations of persons with disabilities and other stakeholders on disability rights and disability specific services, one hand, the local governments are not able to formulate proper planning and budget for the inclusion of persons with disabilities and on the other hand, persons with disabilities have very low access to basic rights and services such as education, basic health, livelihood, social securities and disability specific services such as assistive devices, rehabilitation, reasonable accommodation, referral and counseling, early identification and intervention etc. In other words, most of them are being left behind in the development process. So in this backdrop, NDF with the support of Government of Nepal, NRA and development partners were agreed and planned to mainstream their issues through Rehabilitation and ensure their independent living in the community. This project has been developed basically to support persons with disabilities who were affected by Earthquake to support Assistive Devices and Rehabilitation services, disability inclusion and Independent living through livelihood and other necessary services in the community. The key beneficiaries or rights holders of this projects are the persons with disabilities and their family members at the selected districts. This project will start from July 2021 and end to June 2022.

Objectives of the project

The overall objective of this project is to contribute for achieving the sustainable development goals by promoting the inclusion of disability agendas through Rehabilitation and Independent Living in the community. The specific objectives of the project are;

a) To empowered the persons with Disabilities who are affected by Earthquake through Rehabilitation services for the social inclusion, social participation and dignified life.

b) To Strengthen the Independent Living in the community through livelihood to fulfill the economic and social need of persons with Disabilities affected by Earthquake.

Expected Outcomes

1. Persons with Disabilities will receive assistive devices (Orthotics, Prosthetics and Mobility), physiotherapy, occupational therapy and counselling services from technical experts of NDF
2. Persons with Disabilities will get follow up, repair, replace and maintenance service from NDF
3. Persons with Disabilities will liberate and move beyond the limitation.
4. Persons with Disabilities will benefited by livelihood services which make them economically empower, live independent and recognize in the community
5. Persons with Disabilities live dignified life in the community with their family members

Completed Project

Physical Rehabilitation Services Project

National Disabled Fund (NDF) has been delivering service of Physical Rehabilitation consisting of mainly Physiotherapy and Prosthetic and Orthotic services since 1981.

Physical Rehabilitation Services project is one of the main projects of the NDF which have been running under prime objectives of rendering quality physical rehabilitation services to socio economically poor people with disabilities (PwDs) of Nepal. Producing assistive Devices and physiotherapy services are the services available in the centre. Mainly orthosis and prosthesis devices are manufactured. Similarly, walking and mobility aids and development aids are distributed to the disabled people after proper assessment. Apart from these, the Persons with Disabilities who need surgery are referred to the respective hospitals. After surgery, the clients are followed up by the centre and assisted further whether they need physiotherapy, orthosis or prosthesis devices. The strength of the physical rehabilitation services is that it has well qualified and experienced staffs and has a well set up orthopedic appliances production centre .The Centre is centrally located and well known to the government bodies and other organizations and has an upgraded modernized workshop with modern machine and equipments.

The concept of the project is to access physical Rehabilitation services for people with disabilities. The project goal is to make the Persons with Disabilities economically sustained, socially acceptable and be physically mobile. The targeted beneficiaries of this project are the poor Persons with Disabilities mostly post polio, amputee, stroke, cp, other orthopedic congenital deformity and conflict victims. During the reporting period total 605 Persons with Disabilities directly benefited from different services and appliances/ devices of this project.

Under Physical Rehabilitation Service Project NDF has been providing following services:

Physiotherapy Service

Assistive Device Distribution

Community based Rehabilitation (CBR)

Counseling

Mobile & Mini Mobile Camps

Occupational Therapy Service

Conflict Affected Disabled People in Nepal Program (CADP)

Conflict is one of the major causes of disabilities in Nepal. According to the GoN record, there are about 8,000 persons (MoPR’s Record- as of 2012) certified as physically disabled due to the conflict. Majority of them need assisting devices and rehabilitation therapy services. During the conflict period, people have lost their physical parts of the body. On the other hand, their access to the physical rehabilitation services are limited due to the availability of only few physical rehabilitation services.

NDF has been providing quality rehabilitation services to the PWDS since 3 decades. In spite of this, there are still enormous needs to further reach more persons with disabilities to avail them of essential rehabilitation service and ensure the service continuity in the remote and conflict-affected districts of Nepal. To address these needs and to ensure the access of quality rehabilitation to facilitate PWDS their requirement of the long-term functioning, the services are planned to the provided by NDF and other rehabilitation centers with financial support to Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction, Nepal Peace Trust Fund and the close technical support from Handicap International. Through the provision of quality and accessible and physical rehabilitation service, conflict affected, vulnerable and isolated persons with disabilities are functionally independent and enabled for their full and equal participation in the society and ultimately contribute to the peace process in Nepal .