For Saint Lucians living with limb loss, the cost and difficulty of accessing a prosthetic device can be significant. A new facility opening Thursday aims to remove those barriers by providing prosthetic services free of charge.
The Prosthetic Centre at Tapion Hospital is an initiative of the Rotary Club Caribbean Plus, bringing together several partners to expand access to prosthetic and rehabilitative care in Saint Lucia.
The project involves the Government of Saint Lucia, Hope to Walk, Montero Medical Missions and the Tapion Foundation, combining resources and expertise to make prosthetic services more accessible locally.
The centre will officially open on Thursday, September 24, and is expected to provide free prosthetic services to persons living with limb loss.
Minister responsible for Persons with Disabilities Hon. Jeremiah Norbert has been pushing for disability issues to receive greater national attention, saying the country must fundamentally change how persons with disabilities are viewed and supported.
Speaking recently about the Ministry’s wider disability sensitisation efforts, Norbert said the objective is “to treat disability as a priority…and to change the perception,” while calling for “a paradigm shift in the way society deals with Persons With Disabilities.”
The new centre supports that wider push towards greater inclusion, giving beneficiaries access to services that can improve mobility, independence and participation in everyday life.
Representatives of the organisations involved are expected to provide further details on the centre’s operations and available services.
