40 WFC NEWS
St an din g ovat ion f or 2023 Joh n A. Sw ean ey lect u r er Dr Mufudzi Chihambakwe earned a standing ovation at the recent WFC Assembly after delivering the biennial John A. Sweaney Lecture, sponsored by IBCE. The Zimbabwe-born, South African trained, Botswana-practicing chiropractor is the first African to have delivered the prestigious lecture, which captivated chiropractic leaders representing over 40 nations. Dr. Chihambakwe is the clinical supervisor at the World Spine Care clinic in Botswana?s capital city, Gaborone, proving evidence-based, people-centered care to underserved communities. A published author and President of the African Chiropractic Federation, he is also the founder of Spine Health Africa, a charity that organizes mission trips to support remote villages in Zimbabwe. The title of Dr Chihambakwe's 2023 lecture was "The Light We Carry: Chiropractic As A Public
Service." Dr Chihambawe spoke about the remote village in Zimbabwe where his grandfather and father were raised and where his family herded cattle. It was, said Dr Chihambakwe, the place where he first saw a light after seeing a sign in his native Shona language outside a health center: ?Vanhu vanorapwa pano havabhadariswe mari?essentially making a promise to help anyone coming to the center in need of assistance. Dr Chihambakwe pointed out that despite aspirations of Universal Health Coverage, a core pillar of the World Health Organization's work, there are many populations with the greatest burden of disease that remain with little or no access to quality health services. In his lecture, Dr Chihambake referred to the phrase Sawubona, meaning 'I see you.' He pointed out the relative invisibility of spine related disorders in countries where the burden of communicable diseases is high.
The light we carry Isnot for those that can see But for those that Think they are blind Yet have just been sitting in the dark Thiswhole time. Chihambakwe (2023)
Paying tribute to World Spine Care, Dr Chihambakwe spoke of the importance of the work in underserved communities.
Dr Mufudzi Chihambakwe
Present in the audience was Dr John Sweaney's widow, Dr Inger Villadsen, who, along with delegates at the WFC Assembly, rose in tribute to the wise words articulated in the lecture.