Today, increasing numbers of people lose their legs due to various reasons. Annually in Sri Lanka there are around 55,000 accidents and most often, the victims lose a leg or suffer serious injuries that finally result in amputation of their legs.
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| S. Mailvaham tries out his
Jaipur foot |
“I used to work at the Uva Bank in Ampara,” recalled S. Mailvaham. “One day a safe that weighed around 10 kg fell on my foot. I was rushed to the Badulla hospital where they amputated my leg. I came here yesterday to get myself an artificial leg.” He is now at the Friend in Need Society in Colombo and hopes to go back home soon and begin work again, not at his previous job but start something small.
“One day my foot just started to swell and became numb,” said W. Kusumawathi, from Niyadurupola. “I was taken to hospital where they treated me for a snake bite. Soon I was brought to the Colombo National Hospital where they cut off my leg.”
She has now been fitted with an artificial leg and is thankful to the Friend-in-Need Society for all the support and encouragement she received. She returns home in a few days.
Such causes apart, diabetes has become another rapidly spreading epidemic which has greatly increased the demand for artificial limbs. This is where the Jaipur Foot Organization comes in.
Tying up with the Friend-in-Need Society (established in 1853) in Sri Lanka some years ago, over 16,000 people have been provided artificial limbs. Versatile and flexible, they need to be replaced only after about two to three years. While most other prosthetic limbs cost thousands of dollars, the Jaipur foot costs around Rs. 7500. Patients are not expected to pay, but payment is accepted if they are in a situation to do so.
Says Yogarajah Francis, one of three assistant managers at Friend-in-Need, “The limbs provided are all custom-made, and we have a hostel where patients are given physiotherapy and taught how to get accustomed to the new prosthetic.”
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| The workshop where the limbs are made. |
“A team of around 20 people work here,” said Mr. Francis, indicating the area in which these artificial limbs are manufactured. “The limbs are made out of rubber and aluminium, and are both easily available and cheap.
The vulcanisation process of the rubber makes the limb waterproof, so barefoot walking is not a problem.
There is a wooden component incorporated in the structure of the foot to strengthen it further. Aluminium is used for the leg piece.”
For those like Malivaham and Kusumawathie, it is a fresh start, thanks to their Jaipur foot.
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AIDEX 2008, the 18th annual sports meet for Jaipur Limb Users organized by the Colombo Friend-in- Need society was held on Sunday, October 26 at Reid Avenue sports ground.
The public spent this Sunday morning with the disabled encouraging them with their presence. |
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