Rotarians come together to give a hand to Colombo Friend-In-Need Society
View(s):A Mobile Audio-Visual, Diabetic Screening and Prosthetic Limb Facility & Jaipur Foot Limbs were donated to the Colombo Friend-In-Need Society (CFINS) by Rotarians from Mumbai, Sri Lanka and Rotary International on November 10.
On this day of a significant milestone in the service of the Rotary Club of the Capital City and the Rotary Clubs of Mumbai to humanity, among those present at the ceremony were the Deputy High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka, Arindam Bagchi; the first Rotary International President from Sri Lanka, Rtn. K.R. Ravindran; and Colombo District Governor, Senake Amerasinghe.
This donation will be beneficial to numerous men, women and children in need of prosthetic limbs, vision care and screening for hearing ailments and diabetes, with the bus travelling the length and breadth of Sri Lanka.
The CFINS established way back in 1831 is based in Colombo and performs yeoman service in the field of prosthetics and orthotics, helping thousands of amputees over the years. Its services are unique because amputees are accommodated and looked after for sometime before and after the fitting of limbs so that they can be assessed and trained to walk without help. The CFINS which is also equipped with a mobile workshop carries out limb-fitting camps island-wide when the need arises.
It was in 2011 that the CFINS sought the assistance of the Rotary Club of the Capital City to help upgrade its products. Joining hands with the Rotary Clubs in Mumbai, the Rotary Club of the Capital City launched the first International Jaipur Prosthetic Limb Project between India and Sri Lanka to give mobility to amputees in Sri Lanka by donating prosthetic limbs. Thereafter, donations of Jaipur Foot Limbs became an annual event.
Rotarians have also assisted the CFINS to conduct mobile prosthetic limb camps in Trincomalee, Bibile, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Amparai and Mullaitivu, with the demand for below-knee limbs being greater than for above-knee limbs. Many recipients who include breadwinners, young children and also students are leading normal lives.
The camps are conducted under the supervision of Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr. J.K.S. Weerasekera who was earlier attached to the National Hospital of Sri Lanka, several engineers and a group of physiotherapists.
At the Amparai camp, 71 amputees were attended to, with the introduction of plastic sockets due to the availability of components from Mumbai. The benefits of plastic sockets include the limb being lighter, being more comfortable for the recipient and production time and cost being lesser than for the western ones.
The Mobile Audio-Visual, Diabetic Screening and Prosthetic Limb Facility & Jaipur Foot Limbs donated on November 10 replaces the 13-year-old mobile bus of the CFINS which is in need of repair. The donation has been enabled through a Global Grant Project carried out in partnership with Rotary International, Rotary Club of Bombay Airport (Lead Club), Rotary Club of Bombay Bandra, Rotary Club of Borivli, Rotary Club of Bombay East, Rotary Club of Bombay Kandivli, Rotary Club of Bombay West, Rotary Club of Capital City and friends of Rotary. Global Grants are funded by Rotary Foundation.