Experiences of attitudes in Sierra Leone from the perspective of people with poliomyelitis and amputations using orthotics and prosthetics

Abstract

In Sierra Leone, people with disabilities face severe discrimination. They need to be included, recognized, and supported to a greater extent by the society, the community, and the family, as well as by the government and international organizations. Traditional beliefs have a negative impact on people with physical disabilities and are an important cause of discrimination in Sierra Leone. Prosthetic and orthotic devices are vital for people with physical disability and offer increased dignity. Prosthetic and orthotic services need to be accessible and affordable. Poverty affects access to education, employment, and health care for Sierra Leoneans with physical disabilities, forcing them to resort to begging to cover basic living needs. Implications for Rehabilitation In Sierra Leone, traditional beliefs related to disability and public attitudes need to change in order to protect the human rights of people with disabilities. Increased public awareness of disability and implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) at different levels in society is needed. To increase access to prosthetic and orthotic services in Sierra Leone, these services need to be affordable and related costs, such as transport, need to be covered by support. Increased access to education, employment, and financial support could contribute to an improved standard of living for people with physical disabilities. Governmental and international support is needed to decrease attitudinal and environmental barriers for people with disabilities in Sierra Leone.

Access to human rights for persons using prosthetic and orthotic assistive devices in Sierra Leone

“…About half of the participants had attended vocational training and 24% had attended adult literacy classes. Some participants had completed vocational training in tailoring (16), gara dying (9), soap making (4), mechanics (8), computers (7), blacksmithing (6), prosthetic and orthotic technology (3), and other (15).…”

“…Participants were worried about their financial situation (6) and their health (5). Physical health, some participants described experiencing pain and not being able to function well (8); some said that they did not vote because they could not reach the voting place (3) while others chose not to vote, but not because of their disability (2).…”

“…In recent years, progress has been made in Sierra Leone through the formulation of a disability policy and the passing of the Persons with Disability Act (2011), providing for the establishment of a disability commission [16,17]. However, Sierra Leone remains one of the 10 poorest countries in the world [1], and negative attitudes toward persons with disabilities are common there [8], hampering implementation. Research conducted in Sierra Leone targeting persons with disabilities is limited [18].…”

“…Since the war, NGOs have helped persons with disabilities, and housing for them was often built some distance from urban centers on land allocated by the government, reducing their opportunities for education and social integration [3]. In Sierra Leone, with its history of conflict, persons with disabilities are often marginalized and discriminated against [8], although the country has signed and ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) [9]. The CRPD [9] has 50 articles, six of which are addressed here (see Table 1).…”

“…This study is a part of a larger project examining mobility as well as satisfaction with prosthetic and orthotic devices and service delivery among participating lower-limb prosthetic and orthotic users who have received services in Sierra Leone [8,10]. Mobility devices such as prostheses, orthoses, and crutches are common assistive technologies used to improve the personal mobility of persons with disabilities.…”