Occupational Therapy News OTnews July 2019 | Page 26

FEATURE INTERNATIONAL
Occupational therapy
in Bangladesh
Md. Julker Nayan, head occupational therapist at the Centre
for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed and Mary Ann Waddell,
chair of OT Frontiers look at the development of the profession
in Bangladesh
I
t is a joy to see how the profession of occupational therapy is taking shape
in Bangladesh. It was introduced to the country by an American orthopaedic
surgeon, Professor Garst, who began an education programme in 1973, in
response to the need for rehabilitation services following the country’s war of
liberation.
Three therapists graduated in 1976. Of these only one, Josne Ara Begum,
continued to practise in the country until her untimely death in 2000. Sadly that
education programme was discontinued after only its first intake.
The profession was given another chance in 1995, when a British physiotherapist,
Valerie A Taylor, restarted occupational therapy education, principally for the spinal
injured people she was rehabilitating in a hospital she had created for them, the
Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP).
Thanks to Valerie’s vision and nurturing spirit, occupational therapy has now
established itself firmly.
As Josne Ara Begum was the only occupational therapist in the country at the
time, most of the early education was done by expatriate therapists, mainly from the
UK and Australia.
The education programme received accreditation by the World Federation of
Occupational Therapists in 2000.
As the early graduates gained experience they were able to take over the
education. The CRP remains the only provider of occupational therapy education in
the country. By today, 268 therapists have qualified, four have masters’ degrees, two
have doctorates and one more is studying for a doctorate.
This historical course has bearing on the nature of the profession in Bangladesh
today.
First, in countries whose governments struggle to meet the needs of citizens in the
face of poverty (see box out) third sector organisations who have charitable incomes
and overseas government aid can thrive and be vanguards for establishing the
profession.
Second, with the early teaching at the CRP having been done by expatriates the
Bangladesh therapists appreciate international collaboration, valuing opportunities
to travel and experience their profession in other countries and welcoming overseas
visiting therapists.
Having started as a spinal injuries unit the CRP now offers a wide range of services
on its site just outside the capital, Dhaka. There are 100 spinal injury inpatient beds.
Around 41,000 general medical outpatients are treated each year. It also provides
rehabilitation for short-stay outpatients with neurological conditions, hand injuries and
children with cerebral palsy and autism and vocational training.
Former spinal injured patients are followed up for life by outreach visits to wherever
they live in the country.
26 OTnews July 2019
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