Last week I had the honour to install the first Accu SPINA in Nigeria. Astella Physiotherapy Clinics is the realisation of a dream of Nigerian born physiotherapist Chike Chuka.
Having lived in the UK for 30 years working for the British Army in the former West Germany, West Ham United and various NHS and private physiotherapy roles, Chike (pronounced chee-kay) knew that one day he would create a world class rehab facility for his home community in Enugu, Eastern Nigeria.
I first met Chike two years ago when he tried IDD Therapy for the first time. He knew about the short comings of old fashioned traction and could immediately see and feel the benefits of IDD Therapy.
In Nigeria as elsewhere in Africa, ordinary people have limited access to the sort of facilities which we take for granted in Europe. With regards to chronic back issues, neck pain and sciatica, people just have to live with their pain once it becomes chronic.
The new clinic boasts hydrotherapy, a fully equipped gym, ultrasound, laser therapy, shockwave, dry needling and now a disc programme with IDD Therapy.
To install the Accu SPINA I flew first to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia and then on to Enugu. The installation went perfectly smoothly albeit rather hot whilst the air-conditioners were wired up!
During the week, the Nigerian Television Authority visited to record IDD Therapy for a news feature, this is the first IDD Therapy provider in Nigeria and indeed in sub-saharan Africa.
As well as the filming for national tv, we also recorded some training videos of our own which I edited locally with Henry at his studios above a bustling market.
Chike has created something truly unique. He looks to work with UK based Nigerian surgeons, who schedule visits in different parts of the country to provide surgery for their compatriots who otherwise would not have access to their services. They can now get the best in rehab, hence the fantastic hydrotherapy pool.
All in all, it was a great week. Training went well and people are really excited. Myself, I had treatment daily as a training dummy and must say that by the end of the week, my back felt absolutely fantastic!
We are extremely proud and grateful that Chike put his confidence in us. There was a real buzz about the clinic and with large extended families in Nigeria, the clinic is geared up to receive people from all over the country.
I am excited for Chike and the team. It shows me that people with vision and energy can achieve great things when they believe in themselves and ignore the fear of failure.
For more details contact the clinic via the website www.astellaphysiotherapyclinics.com (live by end of Nov 2015)
