The department was set up in 2003, but it has taken a number of years to get it up to full speed. This was due to CRP awaiting the return of the staff that had been sent to India and Vietnam to be trained in Prosthetics and Orthotics. Now the department is fully established with well trained professional from abroad and modern technology.
The department was set up with the technical and financial support of the International Committee of the Red Cross – Special Fund for the Disabled (ICRC – SFD) with modern instruments and materials. This allows the department to design and fabricate a wide range of Orthoses, from the simple arch support (support fallen arches in the feet) to the more complicated bilateral jointed KAFO (calipers) to allow person with disabilities to stand and walk independently.
In Prostheses they manufacture from partial feet, below knee artificial limb to the complex above knee amputation replacement prosthesis.
The department sees a wide range of disabilities especially children with club feet, CP, congenital disabilities and teenagers that have been affected by Polio as a child, Spinal cord injury.
Many of the amputations of the lower limb are due to the high incident of (RTA) road traffic accidents and accidents at work due to the appalling health and safety at work record the country has.
The department is a vital link in the rehabilitation of the disabled person at CRP and works closely with Multi Disciplinary Team (MDT).We have already started our extended service to CRP Mirpur as thrice in a week basis (Saturday, Tues day and Thurs day).In the near future we are going to set up a modern Prosthetics and Orthotics Department in Chittagong, collaborating with AK Khan Foundation and ICRC.