Artificial Limbs (Prosthetics) for Pakistan

Submitted by Bilaal Ahmed on October 26, 2005 - 6:56am.     affected | medical supplies | relief

My name is Usman and I work as an International Trade Analyst for a law firm in Washington, DC.

As you may know, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck close to Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered Kashmir on 8 October. The earthquake has cause widespread destruction in the area and has affected many in India and Pakistan. There are now reports of over 50,000 confirmed deaths and devastation that may take a decade to repair. The World Food Programme says some 500,000 people in remote areas have received no aid at all. One of the biggest problems is meeting the demand for tents that can provide shelter as the cold weather worsens.

I have been involved in the relief effort - both in terms of raising funds and collecting/shipping goods and supplies to Pakistan. My family, working out of Pakistan, has recently informed me that an area overlooked is the need for Artificial Limbs for Victims. The Federal Health Minister, Muhammad Nasir Khan, has reiterated government's decision not to send any injured person of the earthquake abroad for treatment. This means that any demand for artificial limbs will be met by imports and possible local production. Therefore, I am writing to you to find out if you, or someone you know, would be interested in setting up an artificial limb manufacturing facility in Pakistan for the benefit of the earthquake victims.

There are a few specific things I need help with:

  1. What is the cost of setting up such a facility?
  2. Do you know of any manufacturer in the United States that may like to collaborate with the Pakistanis on this?

I am in a position to connect you directly with people on the ground in Pakistan, and also with policy makers working on the relief effort out of Islamabad.

Please email me back at usmankhosa@gmail.com if you could provide any assistance in this matter. Also, in case you are unable to help or provide information, please forward this to someone who may be able to help.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
Usman Khosa
p.s. Just so that we do not duplicate effort and can communicate with each other more effectively, kindly check http://artificiallimbs.blogspot.com

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Artificial Limbs
Submitted by Altamashjmir on November 8, 2005 - 6:58am.

Salaam All,

I have been in the Physical Rehabilitation services for quite some time now and would like to point out that the call from the Pakistani Government to send Artificial Limbs is Completely premature.

An amputee needs to go through a strict regement of Physical Therapy before they can be a candidate for an Artificial Limb. A candidate is a person who can benefit from such a device. The amputees wound needs to heal completely, should be able to move around with the help of the crutches and the wound (amputated limb area) should shrink down to 30-50%. ONLY THEN an Artificial limb may be CONSIDERED for a patient. Not all Patients qualify for Artificial Limbs (because of different physical conditions) and not all Artificial limbs qualify/fit all patients. Exact measurements need to be taken before ordering the limbs.

So, please dont jump the gun here and focus on the Rehabilitation part for now...If these people, who have severe spinal cord injuries and are also amputees do not get proper Physical Therapy in time, they may not be able to SIT UP ever again, let alone walk with Artificial Limbs.

The Pakistani media machine is indeed doing a great job, but sometimes they just go overboard. 

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