Wheelchairs for the National Referral Hospital (NRH) and disabled persons
In weeks I have written several times about the great needs of the former patients of the National Referral Hospital still waiting for an artificial leg following surgery either through having suffered from diabetes or physical injury resulting in an amputation.
Until there is a rehabilitation workshop at the NRH to replace the old workshop now in complete disrepair, it would be beneficial if those that are semi-disabled and possibly excluded from working because of their disability to be given a wheel chair.
My partner charity in New Zealand, �Take My Hands� has sent many wheel chairs to the NRH in recent years and is still in the process of sending more in the next container with hospital beds.
With the large number of amputees, known to exceed 400, there will be a continuing need for regular supplies of free wheel chairs until such time as the NRH rehabilitation workshop is re-built and technical staff engaged to make and fit prosthetic limbs.
There is an urgent need for 20 or more wheel chairs for patients that have had amputations and are in the NRH�s surgical ward and hospital staff is greatly handicapped to assist those patients in being moved when needing to be bathed or visit the toilet.
In Australia there is a well established Wheelchair Foundation that has, since 2000, delivered more than 100,000 wheelchairs to the needy in 100 countries, including in Papua New Guinea where Rotary International arranged for the hospitals in Port Moresby and Wewak to get supplies.
The wheel chairs, although not free, are obtainable for about A$150 each and perhaps Rotarians in Honiara might consider helping the NRH with wheelchairs needed urgently in the surgical ward until TMH manages to ship the outstanding 40ft container of hospital beds and 30 or more wheelchairs.
The Wellington hospital that will be donating the hospital beds to the NRH is still awaiting new deliveries before releasing the ones identified for release.
In the USA there are several organizations giving free wheel chairs to those in need in developing countries and although I have tried to get help from at least three of the larger organizations I have been told there is no agent or agency in the Solomon Islands to handle the shipment and receipt of wheelchairs they would be willing to send.
I believe some additional support is needed either by the US Consular Agent in Honiara or by the USA Embassy in Port Moresby to encourage those organizations to help the NRH.
Please will you help?
Yours sincerely
�Frank Short
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