Patients with Disabilities

This chapter is different from many others in this book. It is not concerned with specific diseases, their pathology and treatment, but rather with the chronic effect of diseases, ageing and accidents on patients and their community, and the role that the health worker has in helping patients with disabilities. Most health workers in Africa will be involved in some way with people who have disabilities, but even if their direct professional involvement is minimal, their attitude can encourage acceptance or rejection of people with disabilities by their families and communities. Therefore, every health worker must understand the subject of disability and how to promote disability inclusive health care, rehabilitation and employment of patients with disabilities. The focus is on the individual person, not on the disability.