Africa-Press – Botswana. University of Botswana has secured a donation of 20 prosthetic devices from University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) which has been made possible by the partnership between the two institutions.
University of Botswana Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Medicine, Dr Michael Kebaetse shared during a seminar on Expanding Botswana’s Rehabilitation Paradigm in Gaborone recently that the prosthetic devices would benefit lower limb amputees, adding that 18 have already been tried on patients.
He said prosthetic services were known to improve the quality of life as they addressed the needs of people with solutions that were tailor-made.
Dr Kebaetse said Botswana lacked a robust prosthetics ecosystem that adequately addressed the needs of people living with amputated limbs.
“Challenges are also due to procedures in acquiring devices which is at the cost of P60 000,” he said but medical aid schemes and MVA covered a minimal amount.
At the same time, government bore the burden for devices and rehabilitation thereby resulting in a long waiting period.
He said they also advocated for a fully-fledged medical rehabilitation centre and appreciated that government was working on one.
Dr Kebaetse said across the world, about 65 million people were living with amputated limbs and about 1.5 million were amputated annually.
He also said two-thirds of those were living in low resourced nations of the Sub-Saharan region and were faced with limited services.
Mr Joe Modise of Orthomed Prosthetics in Gaborone said the device would reduce psychological issues and give many amputees renewed hope as some would be able to go back to work.
He said there was a vast encashment of clients who were desperate for independence yet cautious of appearance in Maun.
Mr Isaiah Moyo of the Maun-based Tshidilong Stimulation Center said there was a need for centres in Kasane and Shakawe as the areas were not easy to manoeuvre with wheelchairs.
He said their clients still used the old-fitted devices. Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVA) is also part of the collaboration.
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