“Persons with disabilities can shape their own future” – Min. Lawrence
─ the mindset of persons must change
DPI, Guyana, Friday, August 10, 2018
Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence today said there is hope for people living with disabilities as they too have the ability to shape their own future, especially if the opportunities are made available to them.
She was delivering featured remarks at the closing ceremony of a two-week capacity building programme for orthotic and prosthetic technicians at the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre. The workshop was organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and Ministry of Health and facilitated by United States-based non-profit organisation ProsthetiKa.
Over the past two weeks 25 transtibial, transfemoral, congenital and bilateral amputees were evaluated and fitted with the prosthesis; a move that brought life-changing experiences to the recipients. The prosthetic limbs and orthotic devices were all made at the centre by the technicians. The recipients range from age 18 to 65.
“For far too long, this section of persons with disabilities have been stigmatized to the point that persons themselves with disabilities deem themselves worthless and failures of society,” the minister said, noting that the mindset of persons must change.
“We in society have to first accept that these people are not stowaways, that they are humans too and they still can make a contribution to society, so Kudos to all of you who have been fitted.”
Chair of Ptomley Reid Board of Director Col. Randolph Storm
Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence
A recipient of the prosthetic limb
Chairperson of the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre, Col. Randolph Storm said the capacity training was very much needed at the organisation. Local technicians are now capable of providing improved services to the community it serves. The workshop, he said, played an integral role in the institute’s mission of providing specialized rehabilitation care for persons throughout Guyana.
“Because we are aware of our impact on the lives of these persons, we constantly strive to meet the needs of our clients and patients, with the acquisition of new technology.”
The rehabilitation centre hopes that a similar training will be held in 2019.
Alexis Rodney
Images: Jameel Mohamed