Govt to lobby for cost-free prosthetics for amputees

In observance of Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month, under the theme “Your Ordinary is Extraordinary”, the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre held an Amputee Health Fair to raise awareness and advocate for persons with amputated limbs.

In light of the month, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony said that he hoped that patients who required prosthetics would not have to pay for them in the future.
“For me, and I guess for everybody here in this audience, the cost is too much. There is no doubt about that. Many of you can’t afford it. We are going to look at how we can bring down the cost, and even if, at some point, maybe not right away, but I am hoping at some point you don’t have to pay anything, but we’ll work on it and that’s a commitment from us here in the Ministry,” Dr Anthony noted while addressing the fair on Thursday.
He added that the Ministry recognised the challenges of people who had their limbs amputated and that it was this awareness that motivated the Ministry to come up with solutions to help reduce these challenges.
“We understand the challenges that you have. For an able-bodied person to suddenly, because of an accident or illness, whatever the circumstances were that you had to lose a limb, is always challenging. And to get that over, mentally it’s challenging, but then also for the rest of your life, not being able to function optimally can also be frustrating. And, therefore, whatever we can do to help to reduce the challenges you have, that is what we’re endeavouring to do,” Dr Anthony stressed.
He further explained that there was a workshop that has been working effortlessly to come up with solutions for patients who require prosthetics. To this end, he said that over $10 million had been spent on acquiring material for the making of prosthetics.
“I remember going into the workshop and after getting that visit, I said to the staff that I would like to see a database of everyone who has been coming to the clinic that needs prosthesis – whether it’s a lower limb or upper limb – and let us see how we can work to be able to give these persons their prosthesis, and that’s a programme that we’ll be working on. We don’t have all the magic solutions as yet, but we believe that if we are able to acquire more of the material, then the staff here would be able to do more prostheses and that’s what we’re trying to do. So, from that visit […] we have spent more than $10 million in buying the materials and very shortly we’ll have more materials coming into the workshop, and, therefore, we’ll be able to make more prostheses,” the Health Minister said.
Limb Loss and Limb Difference Month spotlights the vital need to support efforts that advance equitable medical access, care, and coverage for people living with limb loss.