International Assistance Mission

Kabul, Afghanistan 

Afghanistan is a mountainous country in Central Asia, whose people traditionally live in village areas, making their livings through agriculture and animal husbandry.  Wars and other conflicts have destroyed the country's infrastructure, further impoverishing the people, and leaving them at an increased risk of disease and insecurity.  As a result of war injuries, disease, and other trauma, there are high numbers of disabled people in Afghanistan who need physiotherapy services.  A National Disability Survey conducted in the country in 2005 showed that "on average, one out of every five households has at least one person with a disability." The number of adequately trained and qualified physiotherapists in Afghanistan is far too low to meet the country's great need. 

The Physiotherapy Institute (PTI) was founded in 1987 by the International Assistance Mission (IAM), a partner of Global Ministries.  It was established in order to train professional physiotherapists and to improve access to physiotherapy (PT) services in Afghanistan.  In addition to a three-year training program, PTI also provides upgrading courses for already-trained physiotherapists and a special training course for physical therapy teachers.  At present, 243 professional physiotherapists have graduated from the Institute.  Some are now working in hospitals in the capital city of Kabul, and others are working in government or non-governmental organization (NGO)-supported facilities in 16 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces. 

PTI's current goal is to increase the geographical scope of physiotherapy services in more remote areas of the country.  The Institute is recruiting students from areas where PT services are not yet available with the aim of sending them back to work in their own communities once they have been trained.  Female physiotherapists are a sorely under-represented group, and PTI is presently giving priority to female applicants.  PTI is working actively with the government to facilitate a plan for enrolling under-represented and rural students, not just those from urban centers. 

PTI's program also emphasizes the treatment and rehabilitation of disabled children.  Teaching families how to understand and support their disabled sons and daughters will reinforce and strengthen communities, while encouraging society to be more accepting of other-abled individuals. 

PTI hopes to have qualified physiotherapists employed in all of Afghanistan's provinces within three years.   In order to make this goal a reality, however, funding is needed in order to pay staff and faculty salaries and purchase necessary classroom and administrative equipment. 

Below is a list of special ways in which your gift can help the Physiotherapy Institute:

• $33 can provide a month's worth of medical supplies for a outpatient clinic
• $75 can provide training materials for continuing education
• $500 could help provide teacher salary so more students may enroll at PTI