It always been a challenge for most amputees in the country for not having a prosthetic limb and this has put them in a awkward situation most of the time.
The challenges remain for years due to lack of materials to produce them.
But Fletcher Kwaimani Construction Company has seen this great need and without any delay, it stepped in to help.
Fletcher Kwaimani Construction Company had donated100 kg cement towards the production of limbs.
Mr Corey Chapman donated the much-needed materials on behalf of the company.
Mr. Chapman emphasised how important such materials are for those people who lost their limbs.
Dr Alex Bradley Munamua within the orthopedic department at the National Referral Hospital said life is motion, motion is life, this is very true when an amputee looks back at his life and down at his feet which is no longer there.
He said most amputees in the country do not have a prosthetic limb for the last five years which is cumbersome and mind wrecking.
“A visit from the LDS American Team to Honiara has not only thrown in the wheels for mobilisation but added more quality to these people’s life.”
He explained the visit was only a country assessment to gauge how Solomon Islands will have interest and see if such a program is appropriate.
Dr. Munamua revealed that more than 70 amputees need a prosthetic device every year in the country.
“Running such a program takes a team of people to achieve a single prosthesis, since the process involves the surgeon who does the surgery to the nurses, down to the physiotherapist, prosthetist and finally to the gait trainers,” he elaborated.
Within the last 10 days a total of nine walking prosthetic limbs have been produced.
He said lack of materials would have prevented these limbs from being produced hadn’t it been for a generous donation of 100 kg cement from the Fletcher Kwaimani Construction Company.
He revealed that the Ministry’s procurement along with the National Referral Hospital just do not have the capacity to purchase cement, Fibreglass resin and even timber to make crutches.
He said, during this whole time Dr. Hermann Oberli, a Swiss Orthopaedic Surgeon who worked 25 years ago at NRH was also in Honiara.
Building a fracture clinic and even having it named after him speaks highly of this Swiss doctor and he hopes that the Ministry of Health and Medical Services through NRH to prioritise people with disability or amputees to be given the best attention and care through such service.
“The current shortage of supplies should not be an excuse for not running this service properly. Each member of the team should play their part to ensure these patients receive their long-awaited prosthesis. After all life is motion, motion is life,” he concluded.
By LESLEY SANGA
