Speech and language professionals in Uganda final month improved their scientific expertise in treating speech and feeding problems in youngsters with cerebral palsy throughout a 2-day ReLAB-HS scientific expertise workshop.
Alternatives for in-person scientific coaching periods for speech and language professionals are uncommon in Uganda. Because of USAID-funding, a 2-day ReLAB-HS scientific expertise coaching on cerebral palsy rehabilitation was organised to deal with this. The coaching occurred on the Mulago Cerebral Palsy Clinic on 20–21 June 2024 for 12 speech and language remedy professionals from the Uganda Speech And Language Remedy Affiliation (USALTA). The assembly was hosted by Physiopedia group Herbert Omoding  and Sam Tukei (Uganda nation consultant) in Uganda and supported on-line by Angela Patterson. Native mentor Murungi Gamukama – a speech and language remedy skilled in cerebral palsy from Uganda – was key in offering the coaching and connecting with shoppers to facilitate dwell case examine periods.
This assembly offered centered coaching to develop and advance speech and language remedy expertise and information in treating speech and feeding problems in youngsters with cerebral palsy.  Individuals additionally heard from Andrew Mubangizi, Commissioner Ministry of Well being DAR, and had been launched to the Worldwide Rehabilitation Schooling and Coaching Toolkit (IRETT). The coaching was a part of a broader hybrid programme – the in-person session adopted on-line coaching utilizing the great Physiopedia Plus (Plus) Cerebral Palsy Programme, which individuals accomplished forward of the workshop. This allowed them to enhance their background technical information previous to practising hands-on expertise as a gaggle.
Via 5 paediatric dwell scientific case research individuals labored collectively to observe evaluation and hands-on scientific interventions, which then prompted wider worthwhile dialogue of the instances to proceed the training.
Key discussions through the workshop included a recognition of the significance of the completely different roles of rehabilitation professionals and the way they’ll work collectively. Individuals indicated they had been keen to finish extra speech and language-based on-line studying on Plus, in addition to for future in-person conferences. Following this assembly plans are being made to proceed studying on-line and the individuals are excited for future coaching occasions.
On account of this assembly, connections and collaborations had been made between each the speech and language professionals and their native cerebral palsy households, which can strengthen speech and language interventions inside their communities, in addition to opening the door for extra skilled growth actions by way of USALTA.
This work is a part of the ReLAB-HS exercise and is made potential by the help of the American folks by way of the USA Company for Worldwide Growth (USAID).