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Interdisciplinary care for children with spina bifida in East and Southern Africa

  • Issues in International Public Health
  • Published:
Journal of Medicine and the Person

Abstract

The prevalence of newborns spina bifida and hydrocephalus in low and middle income economies (LMIE) is higher than in high income economies (HIE). In this article, the International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (IF) reflects on its findings of 20 years of work in East and Southern Africa. Active parent involvement in care and interdisciplinary approach are crucial for a successful long life care program. In LMIE, the IF program tries to overcome the barriers in care. Medical and local materials have to be used creatively and have to be combined with pragmatic choices in surgery and medical imaging. The IF program shows how a cost-saving approach is feasible and does not need to imply a decrease in quality of care.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thanks all children, parents, parent groups, IF partners and their committed staff for their energy, love, dedication, and care. They inspire us to continue our work. Our gratitude goes to our donors RMF and Mantana fund in Norway, RBU in Sweden, Child-Help in Belgium and many individual donors and INGO’s like AVSI, Cure International, Bethany Kids, Lilian Fund and CBM. Especially they want to name Prof. Dr. Benjamin Warf, Dr. Dick Bransford, Dr. Harrison and Dr. Carla Verpoorten without who this program would never have had this expansion and not reached so many children.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that there is no actual or potential conflict of interest in relation to this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. President International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus, Cellebroersstraat 16, 1000, Brussels, Belgium

    Pierre Mertens

  2. Health, HIV/AIDS, and Disability, IF Child Help / AVSI Uganda, Ggaba road, 1119, Kampala, Uganda

    Femke Bannink

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  1. Pierre Mertens
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  2. Femke Bannink
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Correspondence to Pierre Mertens.

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Mertens, P., Bannink, F. Interdisciplinary care for children with spina bifida in East and Southern Africa. J Med Pers 10, 129–135 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12682-012-0126-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12682-012-0126-x

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