A four-members Rehabilitation Team from the Auckland Spinal Unit were in Nuku'alofa this week to assess 13 patients with spinal injuries who have paralysis from the waist down or on both hands and legs.

The 13 patients range in age from a primary school girl from Vava'u to a 60 year old man. After the team's first day out visiting some of the patients on Tuesday, Dr Sridhar Atresh, a consultant in rehabilitation medicine, said that they were impressed with how well the patients were looked after by their families and friends, taking into account the environment that some of them were living in and the lack of resources, such as appropriate wheel chairs.

Mrs Denise Hislop, a nurse, said that one of the patients, a young man, was very creative and made do with whatever was available. He could move his wrist and fingers, so he could feed himself, but in order for him to have a strong grip on a spoon or a knife he first had to grip a tennis ball, "and then insert the spoon or the knife between the ball and palm of his hand."

The four-members team included Dr Atresh, Mrs Hislop, Mrs Michelle Ede, a nurse and Mr Jonathan Johnny Siu-fai Kwan, a physiotherapist were all impressed with the care that was given to these unfortunate patients by their families, relatives and friends. Jonathan said that almost all of the patients have been regularly massaged.

Awareness

The team were in Tonga September 29-October 4 and during that time they will advise and train family care-givers, inform and train local health care staff especially nurses, physiotherapists and doctors, assist the Ministry of Health in its consideration of the area of rehabilitation for spinal injury and stroke. Discussions also included NGOs, which are involved in aspects of care for the disabled.

Dr Atresh said that the main message that they wanted to pass on to these patients is "that there is a life for them out there." even for a young man who is paralysed from the neck down, they help him realise there is life because he can still hear, see and smell.

Dr Atresh said that there is still no treatment for this kind of spinal injury, but there is hope that research into stem cells could produce a treatment.

The team wanted to raise awareness in the community about spinal injuries because many are preventable with proper care especially in sports and recreation and driving. Government departments and the community also needed to grow in awareness of the needs of those with disabilities particularly in design and planning and in health services.

The visit by the Auckland Spinal Unit Rehabilitation team was initiated and co-ordinated by Dr Glennis Mafi and the Village Mission Clinic and it has been well supported by a number of people, and organisations. Supporters of the initiative were Counties Manukau District Health Board; Sue Gardiner, General Manger forum Travel; Liz Sullivan and the Billfish Bar; John Paul Chapman of Office Equipment; the Heilala Guest House; and Sione Taumoefolau of the Tonga Red Cross.