Recently, veteran journalist Alfred Sasako, wrote to me in Thailand and asked me to comment on an appeal I had made for a modular building for the National Referral Hospital (NRH) to be used as a replacement facility for the former Rehabilitation Workshop that in earlier times was used as a facility in which artificial limbs were made and custom fitted to those who had undergone surgery, mainly through having contracted diabetes, and had a leg or foot removed.
In a reply to Mr Sasako I wrote expressing the background to my appeal and my concerns I had for amputees.
Mr Sasako had my permission to quote my words and today I found that he had published a lengthy article, with illustrations, in the Solomon Star newspaper, on page 6, which I will quote.
“THE SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS OF AMPUTEES AT THE NRH.”
In September last year, the Solomon Forest Association (SFA) responded to appeals for a modular building to replace the National Referral Hospital’s old Rehabilitation Workshop used for producing artificial limbs for those whose legs were surgically removed due to diabetes.
A container already converted into a practical workshop with installation, air conditioning and with all the electrical wiriing and electrical fittings, was bough and brought in by the SFA.
Seven months on, the container is still sitting on the grounds of the NRH untouched.
The NRH has since requested an extension to be added to the proposed modular building, but it does not have the money to pay even for the concrete footings.
All the hospital’s funds have been diverted to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, according to some at the NRH.
Former Police Commissioner, Frank Short who was instrumental in securing SFA funding support for the project, takes up this sad saga.
“I have expressed my concern for the hundreds of former patients of the NRH (and current ones) that have had limbs amputated after succumbing to diabetes.
“I believe as many as six or more amputations, mainly legs, are surgically removed at the NRH each week, including I understand ongoing. There are as many as four hundred waiting artificial limbs,” Frank said from Bangkok, Thailand, where he is residing.
“The urgency of this was because the old workshop that was used as a Rehabilitation Workshop fell into disuse due to termite and white ant infestation over the years and was ultimately demolished, leaving two, at least, workers virtually jobless.
Those two had undergone extensive trainining in the making and custom fitting of prosthetics in India,” he said.
“Since the collapse of the old Rehabilitation Workshop no production of artificial limbs has occurred and the hundreds of limbless left abandoned so to say.
I wanted to do something to help. First, I made an appeal for 300 metal crutches to aid their mobility until a modular building could be acquired.
“Johnny Sy and the SFA Board came to help – 300 crutches were procured and given to the NRH and some provincial hospitals.
“It wasn't clearly enough and so I made another written appeal through the media in the SI for a modular building based on the concept I had seen produced in China which could function as a replacement Rehabilitation Workshop.
“The SFA once more stepped up to support my (several appeals) and the SFA, at considerable cost procured the kind of modular structure I had in mind. It was shipped, from China I understand, in a container and delivered to the NRH at my urging last September where I had every expectation it would have been brought into use quickly,” Mr. Short said.
“As weeks slipped into months, I repeatedly wrote to the NRH about the status of the modular building.
“Eventually Moffat Selo wrote and told me the Rehab Unit had requested an extension to the modular building (20 ft in length) to provide holding facilities for those suffering from a mental disorder.
Mr Selo sent me a drawing of the proposed extension and supplied details of the costings that had been submitted to management for the work to be considered.
“Time went on after that and I several times raised concerns about the delay in getting the modular facility in use. I also stressed how my partner charity in NZ had said they have close links with limbless Associations and would consider helping a new workshop with possible prosthetics and equipment needs.
“In one of my latest exchanges with Mr. Selo he told me the NRH had no money to see to the installation of the modular building and proposed extension as all financial resources had been diverted to Covid action and prevention.
The modular building in prefabricated parts is sitting in Honiara almost forgotten as the focus is turned to COVID-19, while many amputees suffer in silence.
No one has died in Solomon Islands from Covid-19 but many die each year from complications related to diabetes and there are hundreds needing to have artificial limbs following surgery after contracting diabetes disease.
“I understand from Mr Sy the container is self contained with insulation, electricity fittings and with an air conditioning unit. I had the impression all was needed was the concrete footings and that should have not been costly or taken any time at all.
I am deeply disappointed the modular building to become the new Rehabilitation Workshop has not been brought into use and to ask more money from the SFA to see to its installation is going too far, given what the SFA has paid already.
I have a personal interest in seeing the workshop up and running for my own health reasons, which are serious, and I fear the work I have done for many years and with (SFA) assistance might never be completed before I depart this life,” Mr. Short said.
End of quote.
Comment
I believe the failure to aid the hundreds of amputees with prosthetic is an abuse of their human rights and why I feel so passionate about their needs.
I quite understand the very sound reasons for major spending on combatting coronavirus and the excellent work done by the government, the MHMS and the numerous front line personnel in keeping Covid-19 away from gaining a foothold, but the battle being waged against coronavirus should not stop funds being available for the day to day health services provided by the MHMS and the NRH, in the fight against diabetes (and the consequences). Funding is equally necessary but sadly when t comes to the rehabilitation needs of amputees it is clearly not the case.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
