Physical Therapy in the Asia Pacific Region

1. Physical Therapy in the Asia Pacific Region Catherine Sykes Margot Skinner Gayline Manalang Usha Krishna-Gfeller

2. WCPT AWP spans three of the WHO regions Ref: www.who.int/about/regions/en/

3. Number of physical therapists in the Asia Pacific region 1992-2011

4. Physical Therapy in the Region – Movement for Health Non communicable diseases – escalating need for education on prevention and increased physical activity Ageing population – active ageing Natural disasters – the ongoing challenge is rehabilitation to become active contributors to society Mental health – improvement in physical fitness to improve well-being

5. Physical therapy and NCDs Physical therapists should be available to: • Be involved in preventive education programmes. • Provide rehabilitation programmes that include exercise, education, and self management. WHO/PAHOhttp://www.who.int/features /factfiles/cancer/06_en.html

6. Physical therapy and NCDs Physical therapists should be available to: • Participate in and promote the development of reliable, inexpensive and sustainable surveillance systems for major NCDs and their risk factors such as stroke. • Provide early rehabilitation with reference to cultural, social and environmental needs. • Manage patients in acute care as well as in the community to ensure that each individual has optimal physical function and is integrated into society Photos: National Stroke Association of Malaysia http://www.nasam.org/rehab-physio.php

7. Physical therapy and the ageing population Physical therapists should be available to: • Have a key role in active ageing • Facilitate physical independence • Prevention of ageing related disability

8. Physical therapy and disaster management Physical therapists are the experts in physical rehabilitation. They should have a major role in: • Triage and acute care management • Provision of appropriate care for and access to community environments for disabled persons along with appropriate forms of community based rehabilitation • Rebuilding communities to ensure safe and accessible environments Photo courtesy of Ung Sambath Cambodia Physical Therapy Association

9. Physical therapy and mental health • Physical therapists should be available to: • Be involved in improving physical activity to assist with reduction in depression and anxiety, improved physical status, improved cognitive function, and facilitation of behavioural lifestyle change. • Physiotherapists working in mental health are uniquely placed to provide an extensive range of physical approaches to treatment aimed at relieving symptoms and improving quality of life.

10. New Zealand • Total population 4,266,000 • Gross national income per capita (PPP international $) 25,200 • Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2009) 2,667 • Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2009) 9.7 Source: World Health Organization • Physical therapists 4166 Source: Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand Annual Report 2009-2010 http://www.physioboard.org.nz/docs/Physio_Ann_Rpt_2009-10_(web).pdf

11. Physical Therapy and New Zealand Physical therapists have: • Regulation • Direct access for patients throughout the age range • Entry level degree and formal postgraduate qualifications • Participation in health professional rural immersion education programmes • Training in programmes to provide quit smoking education to patients

12. Fiji • Total population 849,000 • Gross national income per capita (PPP international $) 4,320 • Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2009) 165 • Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2009) 3.6 Source: World health Organization • Physiotherapists 58 (2011) Source: Fiji Physiotherapy Association

13. Fiji • School of Physiotherapy at the Fiji National University (FNU) in Suva • Education of PTs from many countries in the Pacific region • FNU also runs CBR programmes • Fiji Physiotherapy Association runs continuing professional development courses • Regulation introduced in November 2011

14. Philippines Total population 91,983,000 Gross national income per capita (PPP international $) 3,900 Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2009) 136 Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2009) 3.8 Source: World Health Organization Physical therapists: 23,897(30-09-2011) Source: Philippines Physical Therapy Association

15. Philippines • The CBR course is mandated in the BS Physical Therapy curriculum – as a subject and as a requirement for community internship. • PPTA signed a memorandum of understanding with the International Centre for Disability and Rehabilitation (ICDR), University of Toronto • Clinical training program enhancement, skills enhancement, and program evaluation for clinical supervisors (CS) and clinical instructors (CI) • “PPTA Balikbayan Seminar”, CPD with homecoming Filipinos

16. WCPT Asia Western Pacific Region China: • Emergency response • Building the profession – programmes recently developed in a few universities • Establishment and assessment of entry level programmes against WCPT standards

17. WCPT Member organisations in the region • Nepal – student exchange programme with Australia • South Korea has developed leadership in ICF • Australia – sponsorship for delegates from low resourced countries in the region to attend congress

18. WCPT activities in support of physical therapy • Policies and guidelines • Continuing professional development • World Physical Therapy day 8 September annually • Congress every 4 years • Policy summits • World Health Professions Alliance • Data base of physical therapist expertise

19. Next steps • Revised collaborative plan of work for WCPT and WHO Disability and Rehabilitation Team • Ongoing support for China and other countries developing the physical therapy profession • World Health Professions Alliance projects on collaborative practice and NCDs.