Artificial limb manufacturing project at NITOR going on in full swing

The project of manufacturing artificial limbs to be set up at the national orthopaedic hospital with assistance from the Thai government is going ahead in full swing, sources said.
According to National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR) sources, currently more than 600 people losing their limbs in accidents or in diseases are enlisted with the institute.
Over the last two decades the lone ‘limb centre’ at the NITOR has remained dysfunctional; as a result low-income group of people cannot get government help for artificial limbs at affordable costs.
The sources said the solvent people losing legs and hands use artificial ones procured from outside the hospital at huge costs.
Director of NITOR Prof Dr Hamidul Haque Khandker said, “The Thailand International Cooperative Agency (THICA) is working with us and will provide all technical support in manufacturing artificial limbs.”
He said people would be able to pay less than the existing exorbitant costs for prosthesis of limbs once the project is completed.
The NITOR director said currently a patient has to pay at least Tk 50,000 for a leg or a hand limb prosthesis and many poor people cannot afford this money.
He said, “When local manufacturing of limbs will start, a single limb prosthesis would cost Tk 5,000 in the maximum which might be affordable to all.”
Earlier, a THICA team visited Bangladesh in the response to a request made by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the then Thai premier after deadly Rana Plaza collapse.
The team members during their visit helped 100 victims with limb prosthesis.
The NITOR director said, “At that time they were concerned about non-availability of artificial limbs here and felt interest to provide financial and technological support.”
Assistant professor of NITOR Dr Md Wahidur Rahman said, “The THICA has already trained several of our people including doctors for quality limb prosthesis and the project setting work is going on well.”
He said after the completion of the project the Thai organisation would also train other people in phases.
Mr Rahman said it is also important of to follow up cases of limb prosthesis and this was an important point of focus in Thai training.
He said, “The artificial limbs to be manufactured in our project would be of international standard and would also be available at affordable cost.”
According to sources, the country’s lone limb centre at the orthopedic hospital has been dysfunctional since 1985.
It was established to help the freedom fighters after liberation but due to lack of funds, skilled manpower and appropriate technology it has remained closed for over two decades.
Currently, the Bangladesh government’s ministry of health and foreign affairs office of the Thai government are jointly dealing with the process of advancing the project forward.
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