Spina Bifida Awareness Workshop 2023- TERENGGANU

The Global Grant Launch is a project proposed by SiBIAM and DASH on 31st July 2021 with the aim to:

  1. Raise awareness about Spina Bifida and empower healthcare professionals (HCP) and special needs teachers to be able to care for SB needs
  2. Enhance knowledge and provide training to key HCP, rehabilitation personnels, occupation therapists and teachers in SB-related care and to encourage provision of combined multidisciplinary clinic services to ensure coordination and timely intervention and management of SB.
  3. Encourage networking and linkage between SB families and HCP to establish local “service centres” as extension of SiBIAM that will provide information, encourage peer support and connect to appropriate medical and social services, whilst also serving to compile local data which later can be used for resource allocations and policy matters.

In Phase 3 of the Global Grant Launch, 1-day workshop which aims to create awareness and educate parents, caregivers, teachers and the public about SB would be held nationwide. Following the last workshop held last year in Ipoh, we are proud to announce that our first workshop in the year 2023 will be held in Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah, Kuala Terengganu.

On 11th of February 2023, Spina Bifida Awareness Day 2023 was held for the first time in Terengganu state, hosted by Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah in collaboration with Spina Bifida Association of Malaysia (SiBIAM) and District Action Group of Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (DASH). The event took place at Psychiatry Complex, HSNZ which was officiated by Dr Siti Salmy binti Mat Nor, Deputy Director of Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah.

The one day event was attended by 126 numbers of participants that consist of 90 healthcare providers which includes doctors, nurses and therapist and 36 spina bifida patients and their family members from all over Terengganu.

Professor Dr Amaramalar Selvi Naicker-Naysaduray, the President of SiBIAM shared with participants regarding the importance of holistic care for patient with spina bifida and what SiBIAM offers to patients that is registered with them. Ir Dr Kribanandan G N, DASH chairperson emphasized the importance of networking between healthcare providers, Rotarians and the community to create greater awareness on Spina Bifida.

A series of comprehensive lectures by multidisciplinary specialist were presented in two separate sessions: healthcare providers and caregiver. The event was then followed by sharing sessions by Spina Bifida patient and family members, where they share their journey from acceptance to currently learning to live with the condition. The sharing hopefully able to inspire other family members to understand on the condition. It is also to help the community to understand more on Spina Bifida.

A workshop session was conducted in the evening, focusing on bowel and bladder care and also therapeutic exercise that can be done at home. Mannequins were provided for hands-on sessions which helps the participant to visualize on the procedures and took part on the session. Child with Spina Bifida had their own session with therapy with various activities were prepared including: colouring, aerobics and many more. The patients are happy with the activities and enjoyed themselves throughout the session.

We hope with this programme, we can provide better understanding and for greater awareness among healthcare providers, SB patients and family members and public on spina bifida to improve their quality of life.

Further details/infographics can be downloaded below:

AstroAwani News Report after Terengganu SB Awareness Workshop