Gov’t pumps millions into prosthetics support programme

In a significant move towards supporting physically disabled Jamaicans in need of prosthetic limbs, the government has allocated a total of $6.2 million to two suppliers participating in the 'New Limb, New Life' initiative.

During a handover ceremony at the Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre in St Andrew on Tuesday, Surgix Jamaica Limited and Tutu Prosthetics received cheques for the provision of prostheses to the programme's first set of beneficiaries.

Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton said the initiative is focus on promoting healthy lifestyles, particularly in light of the fact that 80 per cent of amputations in Jamaica are diabetes-related.

"Everyone who we restore, we hope that they become an ambassador for a very important cause [to encourage others not to] play around with your lifestyle," he stated.

Tufton said the initiative is not only providing prosthetic devices, but facilitating the restoration of lost mobility and improving the quality of beneficiaries' lives.

The 'New Limb, New Life' Programme is a collaborative effort with the Jamaica Council of Persons with Disabilities, an agency of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

Pearnel Charles Jr, the social security minister, said his ministry is committed to ensuring that "an environment is created for [the] empowerment of every Jamaican to know that they can overcome challenges that are associated with limb loss, and be reintegrated into our society".