A typical land mine amputee has to wait in his bamboo hut for 3-5 months after discharge from the surgical hospital before he is provided prosthesis. Our end-point studies of mine accident survivors demonstrate that most of them suffer from chronic pain years after the injury. The pain is so severe that they may not be able to use even a well-fitted prosthesis.
To prevent this tragic complication, TCF Cambodia is breaking new ground:In a small jungle workshop in Sompouv Lun, local rehab workers produce temporary walking aids and other assistive devices from locally available material. With this strategy the farmers can get on the tractor again 3 weeks after the limb was lost, giving pain and depression no time to take the chair.
Locally trained technicians visit trauma victims in their villages, and adapt necessary assistive devices to the individual needs. Many villagers do not have time and resources to travel to the city in order to get the necessary assistance. In partnership with the Ministry of Health, Phnom Penh, Jönköping Medical University, Sweden, and Oslo University we are now conducting a controlled clinical trial of Early Temporary Walking Aid fitting in Cambodia.