The Association of Clinical and Academic Physiotherapists of Nigeria (ACAPN) has decried the seeming dearth of job opportunities available to graduates of physiotherapy in the country.

The association also expressed worry over lack of investment in the field by state governments across the country.

The Chairman of the association in Enugu State, Mr Ikechukwu Agwagu made this known during the 2^nd Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting of the association.

Agwagu however, said that the Federal Government had tried to keep the profession afloat as evidenced in the recent approval of the academic benchmark of Doctor of Physiotherapy (DPT) programme.

He said that the major challenge facing practitioners was that job opportunities were few and far between.

“This approval by the National Universities Commission (NUC) is a huge milestone. What remains is for the programme to take off in the various universities offering the course.

“However, graduates of this discipline face serious unemployment and the government needs to something about it,” he said.

Agwagu said that the state governments were the major culprits owing to their seeming lack of interest in the discipline.

He said that apart from Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH), no other state medical institution in the South East had facilities for physiotherapists.

“In the South East for instance, ESUTH is the only state medical institution accredited for internship programmes in physiotherapy.

“This was made possible by the state government and we appeal to other state governments to learn from this example.

“Fresh graduates in the zone find it difficult to get placement for internship due to lack of facilities and even when they graduate, there are no jobs,” he said.

He said that the current situation had widened the gap in the ratio of physiotherapists and patients in the country.

Agwagu said that the future of the profession was bright if only the government could play its own part.

Earlier, the National President of the association, Prof. Rufus Adedoyin charged practitioners to be versed in the management of pain in order to better the lives of their patients.

Adedoyin said that pain was no respecter of persons adding that it was the common reason patients sought care in hospitals.

“The theme for this conference was strategically chosen to reflect the concern of the world experts on pain management,” Adedoyin said.

NAN reports that the theme of the event was ‘Recent Advances in the Management of Pain’.

The conference was attended by Heads of Department of Physiotherapy of universities offering the course across the country as well as undergraduates in the discipline. (NAN)

– Oct. 17, 2018 @ 18:35 GMT |