Haiti Prosthetics Assistance Project

• « Monclova, Mexico
• 4 of 4

Loss of Life, Limb, and Capablity  The earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12th, 2010 was by some measures the biggest natural disaster in history.  Causing more than twice the deaths of the bombs of Hiroshima and Nagasiki combined, the financial cost of the earthquake exceeded 100% of the gross national product of the nation. Reports on new loss of limbs in the thousands began immediately as bodies were trapped under buildings for days. Haiti needs help!

Prosthetika built a self-contained prosthetic workshop incorporated into two 20 foot steel shipping containers. The workshop contains all the necessary power equipment, tools, work stations, and facilities for manufacturing prosthetic and orthotic devices. The workshop facilitates fabrication of artificial limbs and orthopedic braces, as well as serve as a training facility for training local Haitian technicians.
 
On Location in Haiti  The container based workshop arrived in Haiti in September. Immeidiately ProsthetiKa sent a team of prosthetists, a physical therapist, and a building contractor to get all of the equipment up and running and to begin fitting patients with prostheses. It is nos staffed by teams of prosthetists travlling from the US on a rotating basis with one Haitian prosthetist on staff.  ProsthetiKa is currently recruiting Haitian prosthetists and trainees.  

Activities
Activities includes direct services in fitting amputees working side by side with local technician trainees. Physical therapists provide exercise therapy and gait training to the patients.

The Goal is to create a Haitian run and Haitian staffed prosthetics and orthotics service complete with an educational program for training new Haitian prosthetists. 
ProsthetiKa is soliciting donations for the on-going support of the ProsthetiKa/Haiti Prosthetic Assistance Project.

Photo Gallery: