Malawi Against Physical Disabilities, MAP is a charitable organization providing medical rehabilitation service to people with Physical disabilities in Malawi. MAP was established as Malawi Against Polio after a Polio epidemic left many people physically disabled. Together with the Malawi Government and other interested organizations, Polio was defeated but those left disabled needed assistance.
A survey conducted by a medical experts revealed that some of those left disabled needed simple surgery to put them back on their feet, others would need intensive physiotherapy to try and restore some of the lost function in the limbs. It was further found that what others needed was mobility appliances like walking frames, calipers, crutches, walking sticks, wheelchairs, tricycles and many others. To get all these services started, it was decided to form an organization thus Malawi Against Polio was born to organize the employment of doctors, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech therapists and workshop technologists to establish workshops for the production of mobility assistive appliances which the teams would be taking to the field so that if one needed something that was readily available in the vehicle, he/she should get it right away. Since that time, the Organization has helped a lot of people attend school, and become independent.
As time was passing, other disabling conditions started to show up. Either they were there but were not noticeable but these too needed the attention of Malawi against Polio, hence the name change to Malawi Against Physical Disabilities but the acronym MAP was retained.
Now the Organization assists people physically disabled by clubfoot, tuberculosis of the spine, Meningitis, Cerebral palsy in children, amputations, strokes, road traffic and work related accidents, gender based and domestic violence and many others have now become under MAP the care of MAP.