I was really shocked when we made a visit to the Artificial Limbs' Centre in Khartoum. Basically since it's a charity centre the only material they are working on for orthotics & prosthetics is plastic polypropylene.. which isn't that bad, though there's lots of better material out there.
What shook me to the core was that the people over there had no clue what they were doing. Most of the bracings and orthotic devices for patients with disabilities, handicaps or impairments were completely flawed.
The actual result of these flawed orthotic devices is, the patient will eventually wear them, clueless & unaware of the defect, and he/she will earn themselves a new deformity. Same applies for the prosthetic devices. It's completely twisted.
The technicians & engineers, which I should add, were mostly foreigners, were not taking any proper measurements.. they were mostly working randomly hoping the final cast will be suitable.
Believe that most of the disabled people living in Sudan have been wearing defected orthotic/prosthetic devices for many years.
Wake up people! Sudan is definitely not going forward.
Yes.. one more year and I'll be paying them more than just one visit!!
Mimz, there are a lot of things being done in Sudan wrongly! You have only encountered one of them. Don't be so angered by it, because you risk losing your mind when you cannot change it!
ReplyDeleteThe fact that they are foreigners is helping at all. We tend to believe everything they do. It is made wores because we no enough competent people to take charge.
As BME later, you can start doing the right thing slowly and avocating stringent policies for review, doing researches to expose the flaws in designs etc. Slowly, dear...
BK, thanks.
ReplyDeleteI have every intention to inshallah.
The sad thing is that the majority of the very few BME graduates in Sudan as soon as they get their degrees travel abroad seeking good pay and stability. But why not do something for your country first?
It's a shame.
Mimz this is a really interesting topics since my study is involve din prosthetics - dentistry - i never imagined in sudan orthodontics might be not taken care like so since students are increasing more each day adn i thought the standards of work were somewhat getting better but of course there will always be a problem in sudan and i hope one day i wll get the chance to research more on these aspects escpecially - oneo fhte major points id like to research on and see whether the patients are getting good surverying and statistics carried out is periodontic study - anyway - u can see this articel effected me !! and keep up the great blog!
ReplyDeleteHey SF.
ReplyDeleteActually Orthodontics in Sudan is much better, there's multitudinous dentists graduating every year.. Also, there's charital hospitals accommodating people who can't afford to pay for dental care (including ortho).
Perhaps I wasn't being specific, I actually meant Orthotics for patients who have deformed limbs. For example bracings and calibers.. As well as amputees in dire need of prosthetic legs/arms.
One of the cases I saw was one of a below knee amputee whose cast was being prepared right infront of me. The woman was doing it all wrong & I couldn't believe it. As a consequence of this, the poor amputee will definitely gain a new deformity.
Another was of an orthotic device that was visibally flawed. It was tilted! And if the patient was unlucky enough to fit their leg into it, he/she is also going to gain a new deformity. End product is - a handicap.
It is a sad fact but true. Khartoum Cheshire Home in Riyadh does a lot of work for children with disabilities. They also produce braces and orthotics locally. Now you raised these questions Mimz, I wonder what is the quality of their work? Were they doing much harm to patients than good? People need to research all these.
ReplyDeleteDo you know of Usratuna in Omdurman? They are also into orthotics and physiotherapy. Check them out sis. We need to blow the whistle about all these faulty practices.
Keep up the good work.
BK,
ReplyDeleteThe quality wasn't all that great, but we have to bare in mind that the products they're receiving are of low quality since they come as donations from the Red Cross.
But that shouldn't stop them from utilizing these products by hiring people with real qualifications who can actually get their jobs done correctlty.
Or at least hire someone to supervise every now and then.
It's shocking coz I actually heard that the one I went to was the best there was?
I am thinking of starting a survey on quality control on the artificial centres in Khartoum. Inshallah my next stop will be the one you mentioned (Usratna in Omdurman) & I'll fill you guys in.