The Ministry of Health welcomed the Jaipur Prosthetic team from India at Tamavua Rehabilitation Hospital yesterday.
The team of six doctors and technicians will conduct large scale production of artificial limbs to address the rate of amputation and longer term mobility.

The Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti commonly known as ‘Jaipur Foot’ is the world’s largest limb fitting society helping the handicapped.
The Minister for Health, Dr Neil Sharma said the team would be in the country from June 6 to July 1 when 300 limb placements would take place.
“Fiji had two technicians trained in Jaipur, India in 2009-2010 and there will be further onsite training for four more technicians,” he said.
“This is to build our manpower capacity to manufacture prosthetic limbs after the India team returns.”
Dr Sharma said non-communicable diseases played a major threat to our well being with diabetes contributing to amputation.
“The rate of limb amputation remains high as sugar levels remain poor and injuries to body parts are common when we walk barefoot,” the minister said.
“In 2010 Government overspent its budget allocation on overseas evacuations with a sum of $1.4million to send patients to India, New Zealand and Australia for treatment of advanced NCD therapy.
“These included angiograms, angioplasty, coronary bypasses, renal transplantation, advanced cancer therapy and joint replacements.”
The minister said we all must cut back on huge meals and educate ourselves to consume less processed meals.
For the 2011 Budget Ministry of Health allocated $130,000 for prevention and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Source: MOI