From 26th January – 14th February 2017 Ray Mines and Lauren Flaherty were in Honiara (The Solomon Islands) delivering the Intermediate level, WHO Wheelchair Service Training (WSTP-I) for fourteen trainees from three countries. The young girl pictured above was one of 16 people (8 women or girls, and 8 boys) with disabilities who participated by being assessed and fitted with a wheelchair during the training. The majority of wheelchair users were children with cerebral palsy who required extra postural support in their wheelchairs.
The focus of this training was to support the two national trainers to deliver WSTP-I for the first time, following their Training of Trainers (ToT) course in Bangkok. The 14 trainees came from a range of local organisations in the region, including personnel from The Solomon Islands’ CBR Unit and Physiotherapy Department; Fiji’s Frank Hilton Organisation (FHO); Vanuatu’s Vila Central Hospital (VCH), and; Vanuatu Society for People with Disability (VSPD). The training covered all aspects of wheelchair service provision from referral through to follow-up in the community, as well as the assembly of Wheelchairs for Kids and Motivation (UK) wheelchairs.
We would like to thank the following organisations for providing the financial support which made this training possible: Solomon Islands Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS); the Australian Government (DFAT); LDS Church Charities; Management Sciences for Health’s Leadership, Management and Governance Project (funded by United States Aid for International Development). Thank you also to Wheelchairs for Kids for donating products to the CBR Unit for use during and after the training.
The visit also provided an opportunity to progress activities for the Pacific Mobility Device Service (MDS) Project, including supporting the CBR Unit to review the status of the Prosthetics and Orthotics scholarship applications, data collection and plans to renovate the rehabilitation building.
