45 WORLD NEWS
Wor ld Spin e Car e m ak in g h eadw ay w it h in t egr at ed car e in Sou t h er n Af r ica Chiropractors volunteering with World Spine Care are hitting a stride in providing accessible, affordable care to the underserved communities in Botswana and blazing a trail for other chiropractors in the region.
with local healthcare authorities and providers to share how spinal disorders can be managed with conservative options, thereby decreasing the burden of disability on the healthcare system and communities.
Led by Clinic Coordinator, Dr Mufudzi Chihambakwe, two Clinic Supervisors are now delivering care through three clinics. Dr Chihambakwe provides care in the Broadhurst 3
In early September, Drs Chihambakwe and Pretorius presented at the Chiropractic Association of South Africa?s annual congress in Durban to share how chiropractic integration works within Botswana hospitals. ?Our work with World Spine Care in Botswana has positioned us to see firsthand what chiropractors have to offer to the public health care systems of the region,? shared Dr Chihambakwe. ?We spoke about the upcoming opportunities in South Africa for chiropractors to work in settings beyond private practice and the message resonated with many in the room who have been offering subsidized and not-for-fee care in various capacities.?
Mufudzi Chihambakwe, Joan Haldeman, Onkabetse Monthomme, Michael Pretorius, and Scott Haldeman stand outside the Moko clinic facilities set to open in late 2024.
clinic in the capital city, Gaborone. Dr Michael Pretorius splits his time between the Mahalapye District Hospital and the satellite clinic in the Shoshong village. He has decided to extend his stay in Botswana for another year thanks to support from the Bloch Family. These veterans were joined this past August by Dr Patrick Boylan, previously a faculty clinician at Logan University. As he awaits registration approval by the Botswana Health Professions Council, Dr Boylan is familiarizing himself with World Spine Care?s clinical protocols and the local language, Setswana. Once approved, he will begin treating patients in the soon-to-be-opened Moko clinic. Beyond providing direct care to patients with back and neck pain, World Spine Care volunteers work
Also in September, Drs Boylan, Pretorius, and Chihambakwe presented at the University of Botswana 9th Family Medicine Conference. The audience was mostly family medicine doctors and nurse practitioners learning about the Global Spine Care Initiative spine care triage tool. This triage tool is designed to be used by various practitioners and the audience of primary care providers was very receptive to the training and asked for continued education on the topic. The World Spine Care clinics in Botswana are busy and thriving once again thanks to the dedication of these energetic volunteers. With the move into a new clinic space and spare bedrooms in the residence, we look forward to more chiropractors joining the mission to provide evidence-based, patient-centered care in underserved communities. Those interested in volunteering for 3 months or more to apply on the WSC website (www.worldspinecare.org).