Introduction

World Physiotherapy Day was marked on Monday, September 8, 2025, with the theme of ‘healthy ageing’, focusing on preventing falls and frailty. The event aimed to raise awareness about the importance of physiotherapy in promoting health, wellness, and mobility. The Physiotherapy Unit of the Tain District Hospital commemorated it with a week-long program of activities, including a health walk, symposium, radio talk shows, and community health outreaches.

Objective

To promote physical activity and raise awareness about the benefits of regular exercise among the aged and the general public.

Activities

HEALTH WALK

The program was launched on the 6^th of September, 2025, with a health walk through the principal streets of Nsawkaw, the district capital, and a health screening. This was spiced with exciting ‘jama’ songs and DJ mixes. It concluded with an exhaustive aerobic session. Over 300 participants were drawn from identifiable social groups, associations, and fitness clubs in the community. These included

• Staff of the District Health Directorate
• Staff of the District Hospital
• Staff and Students of the Nsawkaw State Senior High School
• Executives of the National Service Personnel Association
• Big Sisters Association
• Beauty Ladies Association
• Royal Ladies Association
• Odenkyem Ahenfie Group
• Tabiakorkor Gyama Group
• No Limit Fitness Club
• Classic Gym and Fitness Club

Outcome:

Participants were educated and screened for high blood pressure, diabetes, and body mass index (BMI). The Beauty Ladies Association won the women’s dancing competition, while Classic Gym and Fitness Club won the men’s weightlifting competition. The walk was also a huge success, with some participants reporting for the aerobics class the following week, showing their enthusiasm and commitment to promoting physical activity

CLINICAL MEETING: A clinical meeting on the theme of “Healthy Ageing” was held on September 9, 2025, at the hospital conference hall. Both clinical and non-clinical staff of the hospital discussed the ageing process, models of illness presentation, and models of management for the aged.

Outcome: It provided a platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration among healthcare professionals.

RADIO TALK SHOWS: Two radio talk shows were held on the 2^nd and 5^th of September, 2025, at Tain FM to raise awareness about the importance of physiotherapy and promote healthy living. Discussions focused on various topics, including the benefits of physiotherapy, injury prevention, and managing chronic conditions.

Outcome: The radio talk shows reached a wide audience, providing valuable information and promoting the role of physiotherapy in healthcare. Members of the community actively participated in the talk show through the in-studio discussions and phone-in segments.

COMMUNITY HEALTH OUTREACH

A community physiotherapy outreach dubbed “the physiotherapy community clinic” was held at Hani, a sub-community in the Tain district, on the 13^th September 2025 to provide health education and promote physiotherapy services in the community.

An eleven-member team comprising healthcare professionals from the Wellness Clinic, dental unit, ENT unit, Eye unit, and the physiotherapy of TDH unit provided free health screening, exercise demonstrations, health education, as well as treatment and referrals for cases identified.

Outcome: The community health outreach program was well-received, with about 132 community members benefiting from the services (Dental, Physio, Eye, ENT, and wellness clinic) and information provided.

Challenges

The healthy-seeking behavior of members of the community tends to be skewed towards traditional and self-medication. Coupled with economic challenges, identified cases referred for further management hardly turn up at the clinic.

Recommendation

• We recommend a collaboration with the district directorate of health services to enable us to decentralize our services to provide routine and institutionalized management at the sub BMCs, and not just screening and referrals.
• Develop educational materials and resources to support physiotherapy practice and patient education
• Develop partnerships with local organizations and community groups to promote physiotherapy services and support community health initiatives.

Conclusion

The World Physiotherapy Day celebration was a resounding success, with all activities achieving their objectives. The event raised awareness about the importance of physiotherapy, promoted physical activity among the aged and the general population, and provided valuable information to the community. Read more of our stories on Blog – Tain District Hospital | Ghana Health Service

Reported by: Ebenezer Ampaabeng Kyeremeh-Physiotherapist