Prosthetic (artificial limbs desperately needed by hundreds of amputees in the Solomon Islands
With the extremely high rate of diabetes disease in the Solomon Islands brought about by NCD’s the numbers of diabetic patients having succumbed to the surgical removal of a lower limb has grown out of all proportion over many years and the numbers keep on being added to week on week.
There are now reported to be many hundreds of patients of the National Referral Hospital (NRH) still waiting to be provided with a prosthetic (artificial) leg that could give them back a high degree of independence and mobility – mobility that could see them resume their former jobs or seek to find other work.
I belive it is time for a dedicated Rehabilitation Hospital for the custom making of artificial limbs, for their custom fitting and supply to the limbless having undergone amputation for the removal of a leg or a foot.
Knowing the difficulty the building of such a purpose hospital would pose for the Solomon Islands giveh the expected high costs, I decided many months ago, indeed to be truthful years ago, to ensure the rehabilitation workshop at the NRH could be used to make and supply artificial limbs.
The old workshop used in Colonial days for the purpose of artificial limb making had collapsed from white ant infestation and it was demolished more than 2 years or so ago.
What to do I thought? Well the first think was to write an appeal for a fresh workshop.
That initial appeal brought an almost immediate response from the President and Executive Members of the local Solomon Islands Forest Association and an offer to procure a 20 ft modular container type building (from overseas) and have it fitted out as one would expect a hospital workshop to look like, complete with interior insulation and electrical fittings.
It was procured and delivered in a large container to the NRH last September.
Realizing it might take a couple of months or more before the modular building could be brought into use at the NRP, I again made an appeal for 300 metal crutches that could be given to awaiting amputees.
The SFA once again responded without hesitation and soon afterward those crutches were distributed by the then CEO of the NRH to awaiting amputees in Honiara and some in the provinces.
As I write this note, the modular building acquire for the purpose I have described as still not been installed on a footing at the NRH although I have been told a contractor is possibly about to begin work on siting the gifted facility.
My concern is for the many hundreds of disabled amputees and enough of lip service to their needs, please
My partner charity in NZ is willing to assist the work of the NRH Rehabilitation Centre with prosthetics manufacture and with the custom fitting of prosthetics.
Whether DFAT would be willing to assist I do not know, but most recently a DFAT member talked to a local group of persons with disabilities on their rights as provided for in terms of the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities/
The UK has two very well known Limbless Associations that might well be asked tob assist with the re-establishment of a functional Rehabilitation Workshop at the NRH.
In China there are said to be up to 80 million persons that suffer from disabilities, including those with walking problems. China in the areas of Southern China has many manufacturers and distributors of “real life” looking artificial limbs. I have no doubt China could assist the NRH with aid for the long suffering and awaiting limbless patients.
Please will someone intervene to get help for the disabled I have for so long wanted to help.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short.
