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Yoliswa Dube
Fanuel Longone, a former employee at Apono Mine in Mhangura, is a paraplegic after a mine shaft collapsed and squashed the bottom half of his body.After initially being taken to Mutoko Hospital, he was transferred to Harare Hospital and Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals before he was eventually taken to the National Social Security Authority Workmen’s Compensation and Rehabilitation Centre in Mzilikazi.
The centre, the only one of its kind in the country, provides a number of services to workers that are injured or disabled at the workplace.
“I was injured at work about 20 years ago and until now, I am receiving treatment for free here. I have over the last 20 years mastered the art of leather craft, which I was taught here at the rehabilitation centre,” he said.
Longone said it was initially difficult to accept that he was now disabled as he did not anticipate that he would suffer such a life changing injury.
“I could not accept the fact that I now have to use the wheelchair and that I am not going to use my legs again. My wife took it badly and she could not accept what had happened. Her mental state has never been the same since then. She started visiting traditional healers and prophets because she believed there was more to the mineshaft accident,” he said.
Longone said he has been resettled at his rural home in Mutoko where he now stays and only comes back to the centre when he needs treatment.
“I was counselled regularly until I accepted my condition. Although I can never work in a similar environment as the one prior to my injury, I am able to earn a living from leather craft,” he said as he adjusted his remote controlled bed.
Longone encouraged those disabled at work to be patient and give themselves time to adjust. He was recently admitted to the NSSA WCRC as a result of a pressure sore, a common phenomenon for persons using wheelchairs. Urinary tract infections are also another problem faced by these people.
Also admitted at the centre is Charles Tsonzo who is a quadriplegic. He lost the use of both his arms and legs after he suffered a spine injury in a car accident while on duty.
Tsonzo said he was flown to the WCRC from Harare.
“I can no longer use my arms and legs but I still have the will to live,” he said.
Tsonzo was also admitted at the centre due to pressure sores. Because Tsonzo can no longer use his arms and legs, he could not be taught a vocational skill but his young brother received training on various ways in which he can care for him while at home. Tsonzo’s wife died some time ago. Very few women have been admitted to the WCRC due to the fact that most women do not do risky jobs likely to cause injury.
Not all workers disabled by their work have managed to pull through psychologically. Dennis Mlambo (not real name) injured his leg in January last year in a car accident. He was employed as a driver. Mlambo, who was visibly distraught, said his employer had initially told him that he was not insured and could not be treated under the WCIF.
“I am now disabled and I can no longer do much for myself. When I was injured, my employer told me that since I was on contract, I was not entitled to any benefits. I was kicked out of my lodgings in Mpopoma and had to relocate to my rural home because I could no longer afford the rentals. I was eventually told about the WCRC and have been receiving treatment here since mid-last year. I feel useless and I have really suffered a lot as a result of this injury,” said Mlambo.
Also admitted to the WCRC was Lovemore Chikuni who was assaulted by his supervisor, leaving both his legs paralysed. Happen Ndlovu is suffering from facial paralysis after he damaged his facial nerves due to head injuries sustained in a car accident. Krispen Mberewere is a double amputee after someone switched on a machine he was working on, immediately amputating both his legs.
The aims of the WCRC are to help disabled workers to be independent and self-sufficient hence it offers skills training and rehabilitation. Most of the workers brought to the centre are unable to return to work so they are taught new skills. Rehabilitation is given to try and return the injured worker to a society in which he is a member. Employers are however encouraged to create safe working environments for their workers as the fund may not cover injury due to negligence.
Experts say that effective rehabilitation should be a comprehensive approach carried out with the close coordination of a variety of services including medical, social, psychological and vocational training.
NSSA WCRC manager Amon Bhebhe said the aim of rehabilitation was to reduce disability so that the worker was able to go back to work, starting with lighter duties.
“In instances where these workers can no longer perform their usual duties, the employer may have to find an alternative for them but those with severe injuries may not be able to work altogether. However, we have social rehabilitation through vocational training in leather craft, market gardening and poultry, welding, tailoring and carpentry. This is done so that these workers are able to start their own businesses when they leave the centre,” he said.
Bhebhe said through medical rehabilitation, injured workers who were referred to their organisation could also be referred for specialist treatment.
“We also arrange that these injured workers receive assistive devices such as wheelchairs, hearing aids and crutches where necessary. We also compensate workers for permanent disability. How they are compensated is dependent on the extent of disability. For example, if someone is now a quadriplegic (both arms and legs are now paralysed) that is 100 percent disability and they are compensated accordingly.
“As part of caring for the severely injured, we provide constant attendance, food, medication, and a monthly allowance is paid to the spouse, relative or any member of the community who is taking care of the injured worker,” he said.
Injured and disabled workers are taught how to prepare their own food or transfer themselves from a wheelchair to a bathtub and vice versa so that they are not entirely dependant. After treatment and rehabilitation, workers are resettled in an area of their choice where they are able to use their vocational training skills to make money.
A pre-settlement visit is conducted by a social worker to assess whether or not the new environment can accommodate the injured worker. If not, alterations, in terms of infrastructure are done, courtesy of NSSA. A follow up visit is done once every year and a medical check up is recommended every two years.
Physiotherapist Noel Matereke said the main aim of physiotherapy was that of re-educating function. “When people are injured they develop weakness so my job is to harden the worker and improve endurance so that they are able to work. We focus on the injured part of the body,” he said.
Matereke said once a worker is injured, their muscles might become stiff and through electrotherapy these muscles are stimulated so that the worker is able to start training voluntarily.
“The hydrotherapy pool is treated water which is warmed up to about 35 to 36 degrees celsius. The water treats pain and helps to re-educate movement especially when it comes to back, shoulder and knee pain. It is also used for other conditions such as paralysis,” he said.
The hydrotherapy pool at the centre is actually the only one of its kind in the country.
There is concern on the restoration of the social function of these injured workers and how they adapt to their new environment. Chief among these is the need to positively influence the psychological perception of relatives, friends and members of the society as it normally changes after one is disabled.
Members of the public are encouraged to accept the disabled, health workers should refer injured workers early to the WCRC before disabilities become complicated and employers should provide employment, training or retraining and also modify their equipment or machinery to suit the disabled.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter