Ministry of Health in Partnership with Indian Government is calling upon all people who had their legs amputated to consult Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in Lilongwe for free artificial limbs by December 2018.
Prosthetist at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) Orthopaedic Centre, Wilson Nanungu made the call on Friday in Lilongwe during Disabled Persons Organisations (DPOs) stakeholders’ conference on how District Disability Forums (DDFs) were fairing in Thyolo, Nkhotakota, Salima, Nkhatabay and Lilongwe.
He said it was pity to note that there was low turn up at the hospital despite sensitizing the masses prior to the exercise which started on November 20, 2018.
“We are a team of 10 technicians which five of them are from India. We have only managed to assist 25 people during the four days of our work. Actually the project targets to assist about 550 beneficiaries within the four weeks of our work which ends mid-December this year. So, you can see that we have a long way to go and time is not on our side,” Nanungu pointed out.
He explained that the technicians chose to operate from KCH because it is like a central point as the exercise targets people from all over the country.
The Prosthetics said that everyone who is eager to be assisted should organise their own means of transport to and from the facility.
“The people should come in the morning so that they are assisted and return home in good time. In cases where someone comes late, they will be accommodated at the hospital until they are assisted the next morning.
“We ask the amputees to bring their shoes so that they have them fixed to their artificial limbs,” he said.
During the meeting, Nanungu urged organizations and individuals who either buy or access wheel chairs to consult them before donating to the beneficiaries.
“Different wheel chairs are designed for different disabilities. Those that access wheel chairs should consult Malawi Against Physical Disability (MAP) department before donation because a wrong wheel chair to a wrong disability may create another form of disability on the user,” he noted.
The stakeholders meeting was convened under Federation of Disability Organisations in Malawi (FEDOMA)’s inclusive society through empowered disabled persons project which is supported by European Union (EU).
