Online Reporter
The Herald, 29 September 1994
THERE is hope for people who lost limbs. A limb manufacturing project officially started at the Jairos Jiri Orthopaedic Centre in Harare yesterday with 60 people already fitted with artificial legs over the past month.
Two Indian technicians have been in the country imparting manufacturing skills to local technicians at the orthopaedic workshop.
Jairos Jiri’s fundraiser and coordinator, Mr Bob Ford, said the centre was already being inundated with requests for the cheap limbs.
The project provides an artificial foot, known as a Jaipur Limb, which can bring new hope and practical help to hundreds of people who have lost their legs or feet through accidents.
Financial support for the project was provided by Rotary Clubs of Harare Central, Hertford in Britain, Wildenhausen in Germany, Harford in the USA and International.
Rotary Mr Prakash Sharma and Mr Shersingh Rath are from Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sayahata Samiti, an institution similar to the Jairos Jiri in India, are training six staff from Jairos Jiri to make and fit the limbs.
The two technicians, who leave the country next month, said yesterday that their trainees had mastered the “simple technique” of making and fitting the limbs. The project started in India when it was realised that the conventional and expensive Western artificial limbs were not suitable for Third World conditions. So Dr Sethi, a Professor of Orthopaedics in Japuir, India, set out to produce cheaper limbs.
These would require little maintenance, suitable for walking over rough ground and through mud and water.
Lessons for today:
- The initiative trained local technicians to manufacture and fit artificial limbs using the Jaipur Limb technique, a simple and cost-effective method developed in India. This shows the importance of knowledge sharing across borders and how skills transfer can empower communities to sustain their own health solutions.
- The Jaipur Limb was designed specifically for Third World conditions, durable, low-cost, and suitable for walking on rough terrain, mud, and water. This teaches us that innovation must be context-sensitive. Solutions that work in developed countries may not be practical elsewhere, and adapting technology to local needs is crucial.
- The project was supported by Rotary Clubs from Zimbabwe, Britain, Germany, and the USA. This highlights how global partnerships can drive impactful local change. When organisations pool resources and expertise, they can tackle challenges that seem insurmountable alone.
