Al-Bireh: Ibrahim Imteir (41) lives in the Kalandia Refugee Camp to the North of Jerusalem. He underwent surgery three months ago and has had trouble walking ever since. When his condition worsened and the pain increased, he turned to the PRCS Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Center in Al-Bireh which helped him overcome his movement disorder.The Centre is one of 10 specialized centres in the West Bank run by the PRCS Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Section inaugurated by PRCS 18 years ago.
Ibrahim is a football player at the Kalandia Football Club. Five years ago, he suffered a cruciate ligament rupture which made it difficult for him to walk. Ibrahim consulted a number of doctors who suggested he undergo surgery either in Palestine, Jordan or the United Arab Emirates. “I hesitated for a long time, but I was in a lot of pain and it was becoming even more difficult for me to walk and move. I decided to have the surgery here in Palestine and to obtain physiotherapy care at the PRCS Centre in Al-Bireh, which I did during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown”, Ibrahim said.
“At first, I didn’t know where to seek help since most physiotherapy centres in Ramallah and Al-Bireh were closed because of the pandemic. The PRCS Centre was one of the few to remain open and offered me the necessary medical follow-up, including wound care and dressing. I had physiotherapy sessions three times a week. My condition improved and I can now walk normally”, Ibrahim added.
Bilal Al Taher is the Director of the Centre. According to him, “PRCS made sure its facilities, including its rehabilitation and physiotherapy services, continued to operate as usual despite the pandemic while fully adhering to precautionary and safety measures decided by the Ministry of Health and PRCS".
"Al Taher explained: “Following Ibrahim’s surgery, his leg swelled and he needed rapid physiotherapy, which we provided. Between 15 and 20 new patients sought our help on average each month, including a nine year-old boy from Nablus with a nerve injury in the hand. All physiotherapy facilities in Nablus being closed, his parents turned to us for help. We intervened and made sure he could access our Centre despite the strict lockdown. Physiotherapy services are vital as they help avoid conditions becoming chronic and complicated. Our Centre also provides assistive devices such as wheelchairs, walkers and crutches”.
“The pandemic has proven that we are quite capable of offering vital services even in the direst of times: we offered around 300 - 350 physiotherapy sessions against a symbolic fee. We have also signed partnerships with many institutions, and we used a variety of tools to ensure service provision, including through the creation of a WhatsApp group to follow-up on progress made by patients. So even with the pandemic and the tight lockdown, we maintained contacts with our patients. We believe that new technologies can and should be harnessed to allay suffering, keep in close touch with patients and help them overcome obstacles that might prevent them from accessing our Centre”, he said.
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