Development of Rehabilitation Medicine and Chinese Medical Teams in Africa ZHANG Shan-gang, FAN Guang-hui. Wuhan General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, China / 中国康复理论与实践

ABSTRACT

In Africa about 133 million people lived with disabilities which were mainly the sequelae of infectious disease, war or trau-ma accidents, single organ dysfunction, refractive error and some others. Medical rehabilitation and community-based rehabilitation could only meet 5%~55%of their rehabilitation needs. Weak infrastructure, poverty and lack of funds, negative attitudes and the monotonous hu-man and culture environments restricted the development of rehabilitation medicine in Africa. Chinese model of rehabilitation medicine seemed to be suitable for Africa. Chinese medical teams in Africa could do a lot in admissions of the disabled, improving hardware condi-tions, training of professionals, developing new technology and expanding the prestige of rehabilitation medicine.