A group of four Iraqi nationals has landed in Jaipur to learn manufacturing the “Jaipur Foot” — a rubber-based prosthetic leg for people with below-knee amputations produced under guidance of Dr P.K. Sethi by Masterji Ram Chander in 1969 for victims of landmine explosions. Iraqi NGO Abdul Hadi Chalabi Foundation sent its four members to Jaipur while the government of India sponsored the trip and Indian charity organisation Bhagvan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS) offered them training facility.
BMVSS made Jaipur Foot a household name in war ravaged Iraq following a month-long camp held by the charity in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad between the Month of March and April, 2010. The BMVSS had used the Jaipur Foot on 1,000 amputees. “We came here to learn manufacturing the Jaipur Foot and set up a centre in Iraq,” says Iraqi national Ahmed Tofique, who led the team.
“Terrorism has left a huge handicapped population in my country. The Jaipur Foot has given a new lease of life to the amputees,” says Mr Ahmed. The Chalabi Foundation is helping the disabled in Iraq. The BMVSS founder D.R. Mehta told this correspondent the move was aimed to provide 5,000 artificial limbs to amputees in a year.
“At present, the local NGOs are able to fit only over 800 artificial limbs. But there is a great need of artificial limbs. ‘We are not able to give the exact number of amputees in Iraq but it is estimated over one lakh,” says Mr Mehta.