Independence comes in different forms and means different things to different people. For those who sustained serious injuries in motor vehicle crashes, independence means being able to walk and run again, being able to bathe without assistance, play, go to work or school and just being able to live an independent and productive life. With our recent celebration of 31 years of independence as a country, the Fund celebrates all its Seriously Injured Patients (SIP’s) who endeavour to return to independence and restore their quality of life after sustaining life-changing injuries in a motor vehicle crash. The path to independent living is not easy; hence, it remains the Fund’s priority to ensure that SIPs receive optimal support on their journey.
In light of the above, the Fund continues to enhance the quality of life and restore the human dignity of seriously injured patients through its intensive tailor-made rehabilitation programme. In 2020, the Fund recorded 182 severely injured cases including spinal cord injuries (SCIs) and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Due to Covid-19 disruption on the Fund’s overall business, only 18 patients with SCIs were rehabilitated to functionality or independence. Worth noting is that all rehabilitated patients have shown significant improvement in mobility and adopted a positive outlook on life post-rehabilitation.
One such claimant is 10-year-old Alex Shivute (not his real name) who currently lives with his aunt and father in Windhoek. Alex was involved in a head-on collision on 12 August 2020 and suffered poly-trauma with spinal cord injury. The severity and nature of injuries sustained mean that he has to rely on others to carry out daily activities such as eating, dressing, bathing and using the bathroom.
However, Alex has regained his independence after months of intensive rehabilitation and physiotherapy sessions with the incredible strength and will to recover at such a young age, coupled with the diligent support from the Fund’s Rehabilitation Team and his family. He is now able to eat, bathe and dress by himself. He further operates his manual wheelchair for mobility and loves playing ball with other children. The biggest rehabilitation goal for Alex was to return to school, which he successfully achieved at the beginning of this year.
Furthermore, the Fund modified Alex’s family house in Soweto, Katutura to help him live independently and as practically safe as possible. House modification is one of the key aspects of social rehabilitation and goes to the core of the Fund’s vision of ‘supporting claimants journey to independence’.
“I am happy for what MVA Fund did for me. It paid my medical bills, fixed my house and gave me a wheelchair so I can go back to school,” said Alex in an exclusive interview with the MVA Fund.
Alex’s father – who chose to remain anonymous – also thanked the Fund for their support during their ordeal and urged the Fund to continue assisting road crash survivors. “I am happy with the support provided to my son ever since the accident occurred. He was in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for almost two months and I thought he would never be the same again. Now, after rehabilitation, my son is a happy boy who likes throwing the ball with other children. He is smart and well behaved,” his father said. Asked whether they are encountering any problems with Alex’s journey to recovery, his father stated that they currently do not have any problem as his MVA Fund Case Manager promptly addresses most of it. “When we see a problem, we call his Case Manager who makes sure that the problem is resolved immediately. We are thankful for her assistance.”
In line with its commitment to rehabilitate all seriously injured persons and return them to independence, the Fund continues to monitor and evaluate the progress of all SIPs. This is to ensure that they reach their optimal level of function after a motor vehicle crash.
As we celebrated our 31 years of Independence and Passover this past weekend, let us remember to uphold favourable road user behaviour through self-policing. Road safety is everyone’s responsibility and it begins with YOU.
The public is urged to report all motor vehicle crashes to the Fund’s new Accident Response Number 9682.