U.S. Helps Modernize Care for Disabled
Overseas training brings new skills to Sri Lanka
COLOMBO, February 2, 2006: Thousands of disabled persons in Sri Lanka will benefit from the skills of five health care professionals who recently returned to Sri Lanka after spending three years training overseas. The United States of America today honored these graduates, who learned state-of-the-art theory and hands-on technology in the field of prosthetic and orthotic devices for the disabled.
With their graduation from the program at the Cambodian School of Prosthetics and Orthotics in Phnom Penh, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the five new professionals fill a void in the Sri Lankan medical field. Despite the need for their services, there are few qualified prosthetists and orthotists working in Sri Lanka, and training programs in the field do not exist here.
“This group of young professionals will have a profound impact on the lives of the disabled in Sri Lanka,” said USAID Director Dr. Carol R. Becker. “Their expertise fills a gap in the medical profession, and promises to help thousands of people live happier, more productive lives. They can also help other Sri Lankans in the medical field to do their jobs better.”
The five prosthetist-orthotists who recently completed the course are already hard a work at partner centers in Kandy, Tangalle, and Galle. They include H.R Prasanga, Chathuranga Munasinghe, Darshani Pragnarathna, Nadeera Samasekara, and Hiranthi Nirosha De Silva.
A key technology the graduates bring to Sri Lanka is the prescription and fabrication of lightweight polypropylene prosthetics, which are more comfortable and durable than the heavier aluminum variety commonly in use. The new prostheses can also be fabricated with a bending joint, permitting unprecedented flexibility for above-the-knee amputees.
Disability is a growing social and medical concern in Sri Lanka. The disabled population grew as a result of the conflict, and other concerns such as diabetes and road accidents now contribute to the acute need for health providers to prescribe mobility aides such as artificial limbs and braces. The absence of special care can lead to advanced stages of disability or can even become fatal. There is also the danger of severe emotional trauma to individuals without appropriate products and rehabilitation.
Motivation’s Program Director Thomas Keolker lauded the five graduates for their courage to live in a strange country for three years to study, and said their excellent grades throughout the courses show a high level of commitment to their new vocation.
“Your accomplishments are something to take great pride in,” Keolker said. “All of us gathered here today are very proud of you, and look forward to years of your expert services caring for your fellow countrymen and women.”