This is AFSCIN
Welcome to our website
Members of AFSCIN (Africa Spinal Cord Injury Network) are consumers and health care workers with a strong interest in the enhancement of spinal cord injury care in Africa.
What AFSCIN strives for
We strive to establish a model for spinal cord injury care for the African Continent by:
- effective networking
- training
- exchange
- collaboration
- advocacy
Why AFSCIN
The prognosis for SCI in Africa is bleak.
SCI patients in Africa have to cope with:
- a severe traumatic injury or illness
- poor evacuation protocols
- poor pre-hospital care
- inadequate radiology imaging services
- the lack of specialized units
- inadequate rehabilitation services
- poorly trained staff
Specific Problems
The problems specific to SCI care in Africa are:
- Professional skills are limited to a few centers of excellence on the continent
- There is a lack of minimum standards of care
- There is a lack of a systems approach to SCI
- There is a lack of a holistic, empathic, inter-disciplinary approach to care
- Research is limited and often not appropriate for the improvement of services on the continent
- Resources are few and often under utilized