WEST BANK: Palestinian amputees say they now have access to more affordable prosthetics due to a factory in the West Bank's Qalqilya manufacturing the artificial limbs

Record ID: 565011

  • Title: WEST BANK: Palestinian amputees say they now have access to more affordable prosthetics due to a factory in the West Bank's Qalqilya manufacturing the artificial limbs
  • Date: 9th March 2014
  • Summary: QALQILYA, WEST BANK (MARCH 04, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TECHNICIAN AT QALQILYA ASSOCIATION, ARTIFICIAL LIMBS FACTORY, SALAH OTHMAN, WORKING CASTS FOR PROSTHETIC LIMBS MORE OF OTHMAN WORKING MATERIALS USED IN MAKING OF PROSTHETIC LIMBS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TECHNICIAN, SALAH OTHMAN, SAYING: ""(The price) depends if it is a limb above the knee or limb for beneath the knee. It depends also on the materials used while producing the limb. (REPORTER ASKING: approximately?) approximately 6000 NIS." VARIOUS OF EDGES OF PROSTHETIC LIMB BEING FILED DOWN (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TECHNICIAN, SALAH OTHMAN, SAYING: "The people who have money, they can pay for their own limb. Those who are unable to afford it apply to the Palestinian Authority and the Social affairs to pay for their artificial limb." DIRECTOR OF QALQILYA REHABILITATION ASSOCIATION, NASSER MANSOUR, SEATED AT HIS DESK DOCUMENT IN MANSOUR'S HAND (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DIRECTOR OF QALQILYA REHABILITATION ASSOCIATION, NASSER MANSOUR, SAYING: "It is non-profit factory, because the raw material that are used to make the limbs are expensive materials, we import them from Israel or Germany or foreign countries. As long as the cost is high, and we all know that the people who lost their limbs due to the sickness or occupation are people can not afford the price of the artificial limbs, so we decided to open other departments in the association so we can pay the salaries and help the people who can not afford the limb's price." VARIOUS OF OTHMAN CHECKING PROSTHETIC LIMB VARIOUS OF PROSTHETICS ON TABLE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TECHNICIAN, SALAH OTHMAN, SAYING: "From when we take the measurements, the limb is ready in between a week and ten days. In between these days, the patient tries the limb so we can make the size accurate. Then we hand the patient the limb, and we start to train the patient to use the limb. After the limb is ready we train the patient and that takes between one and two months." MORE OF PROSTHETICS ON TABLES (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DIRECTOR OF QALQILYA REHABILITATION ASSOCIATION, NASSER MANSOUR, SAYING: "Because we are a charity, the price is less. Because the centres in Israel and Arab countries are profitable centres. We are a non profit charity. We hope that we have the money in order to cover the payments for all these cases." VARIOUS OF OTHMAN CHECKING LIMB FOR IBRAHIM ZEID (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PATIENT, IBRAHIM ZEID, SAYING: "It helps me to walk, instead of leaving my leg hanging, this eases my walking." ZEID PRACTICING WALKING WITH PROSTHETIC LEG / OTHMAN HELPING ZEID LEAVING BUILDING SIGN READING IN ARABIC 'ARTIFICIAL LIMBS FACTORY' EXTERIOR OF FACTORY
  • Embargoed: 24th March 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: West bank
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA6O47B4D072H1VXLNS84IFPEPN
  • Story Text: In the West Bank city of Qalqilya, a non-profit organisation has brought technicians to help physically disabled Palestinians by providing amputees prosthetic limbs and medical aid at affordable prices.
    The Qalqilya artificial limb association began operating in 2006 and currently treats between 60 to 50 Palestinians, some of who were injured during violence with Israel.
    Technician Salah Othman said the cost of the limb depends on its position.

    "(The price) depends if it is a limb above the knee or limb for beneath the knee. It depends also on the materials used while producing the limb. (REPORTER ASKING: approximately?) approximately 6000 NIS (1.667 US dollars)," he said.

    "The people who have money, they can pay for their own limb. Those who are unable to afford it apply to the Palestinian Authority and the Social affairs to pay for their artificial limb," Othman added.
    The association director, Nasser Mansour, explains more about the factory.

    "It is non-profit factory, because the raw material that are used to make the limbs are expensive materials, we import them from Israel or Germany or foreign countries. As long as the cost is high, and we all know that the people who lost their limbs due to the sickness or occupation are people who can not afford the price of the artificial limbs, so we decided to open other departments in the association so we can pay the salaries and help the people who can not afford the limb's price," he said The entire process of fitting, manufacturing and adjusting the prosthesis takes place in the Qalqilya Artificial Limbs factory and can take up to two months.

    "From when we take the measurements, the limb is ready in between a week and ten days. In between these days, the patient tries the limb so we can make the size accurate. Then we hand the patient the limb, and we start to train the patient to use the limb. After the limb is ready we train the patient and that takes between one and two months," he added.
    According to the association director, the factory cost around 200-250 thousands US dollars, which was funded by the UAE Human Appeal.

    "Because we are a charity, the price is less. Because the centres in Israel and Arab countries are profitable centres. We are a non profit charity. We hope that we have the money in order to cover the payments for all these cases," said Mansour.
    Ibrahim Zeid, 65-year-old, lost his leg in 1975 due to diabetic diseases. The disease forced him to walk with a crutch ever since. But he now hopes his new limb will help him cope with everyday challenges.

    "It helps me to walk, instead of leaving my leg hanged, this is better to walk," said Zeid.
    Care is free for the needy Palestinians, many of them lost their legs or hands due to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and some due to diabetics or other diseases.
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