The Hydrotherapy Center established at the Cheshire Services Ethiopia, and which is the first in its kind in Ethiopia was inaugurated in the presence of WHO Representative, Dr. Pierre M'Pele-Kilebou, donors and contributors to the center, guest Rotarians from the USA and Canada, and other polio partners on Monday, 5 October 2015.  Unveiling was done by W/ro Mintwab Abebe, widow of Mr Nahusenay Araya, former District Governor (DG) of Rotary Club.

Ato Tadesse Birhan Chair and President of Cheshire Services Ethiopia, thanked the donors and the contractors for their contribution in the construction and establishment of the center. He also explained that the objective of this innovation is to support Cheshire Services Ethiopia to provide hydrotherapy treatment enhancing mobility of children with physical disabilities, mainly children with post-polio paralysis at Cheshire Service Ethiopia Menagesha Rehabilitation Center.

Rotarian Mr Denny Welford of Washington State, Seattle, USA, speaking at the inauguration of the Hydrotherapy Center, said, Speaking on the occasion he said that “My role here was to find a need that I can help to improve the service that would be given in Cheshire Service Ethiopia. So I came up with this idea and suggested the hydrotherapy might be something that would improve the efficiency of a polio affected children. I grow up swimming, which was my frequent exercise when I was 4-15 years.” Himself a post-polio victim, Mr Welford initiated the idea of constructing this Hydrotherapy Center, and also provided a large share of the funds for its establishment.

The facility was built at a cost of 3.9 million birr, and is expected to significantly contribute to the rehabilitation of those affected by the polio virus. The therapy center helps post-polio victims and others affected by physical disabilities stretch their tissue, relax their muscles, relieve their pain and balance their metabolism. It also serves as a recreation facility.

Fourteen year-old Muaz Reshid joined the Menagesha Cheshire Services rehabilitation center 10 months ago. He is one of the beneficiaries of the Hydrotherapy Center. Muaz expressed his excitement, happily expressing, “I am very happy today. I used to spend most of my time by sitting before this therapy was made available. Now, I can enjoy and have fun in the water.”

The hydrotherapy center has two separate changing rooms for girls and boys and has all the swimming modalities. The therapist will look at the recommendation and modality given by the physician to decide on the frequency and period of therapy. 

Kedir Kasim, a hydro-therapist at the Cheshire Services Ethiopia Menagesha Rehabilitation Center, indicated that on average the facility will give services to 12 children per day. He also mentioned that the center mainly serves children that reside in the center but its operational procedure is drawn for both inpatients and outpatients. The Chesire Services Ethiopia has a total of six professional physiotherapists, two of whom have also taken additional swimming lessons. 

Cheshire Service Ethiopia is a local non-governmental organization (NGO) that supports children with disabilities.

Photos: WHO Ethiopia/ Selamawit Yilma