More than 50 persons are set to receive costly limb prosthetics through a collaboration between India, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and Guyana.
On Monday, the inaugural India–CARICOM Prosthetic Limbs Camp was launched at the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre to support amputees from across all administrative regions. The initiative is a joint effort between the Ministry of Health, the High Commission of India in Guyana, and CARICOM.
Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony, High Commissioner of India to Guyana Dr Amit Telang, High Commissioner of Belize to Guyana Gale Miller-Garnett, and Director of Disability and Rehabilitation Services in Guyana Dr Ariane Mangar were among those present at the launch.
Dr Mangar said the partnership would give amputees the chance to regain dignity, mobility, and independence. “To date, we’ve completed 35 limbs and we plan to complete another 50 before the camp concludes. With this initiative, we aim to ensure that amputees from every region benefit,” she stated.
The camp involves professionals working with recipients to ensure proper fitting, training, and adjustment to the prosthetics. Prosthetic limbs often cost upwards of $400,000, making them unaffordable for many.
India, through its partnership with Kalptaru Projects International Limited, has previously supported similar initiatives in Tanzania and Ethiopia. This is the first time the project has been introduced in Guyana.
High Commissioner Dr Telang emphasised that the Government of India is committed to strengthening bilateral relations within the region and confirmed that the project would be extended to other CARICOM member states. “We already have requests from other countries in the region. This is not just a medical initiative; it is about forging closer partnerships between India and the Caribbean,” he said.
Dr Telang also noted that India intends to provide further support through capacity-building programmes, including training opportunities for citizens of CARICOM states.
Meanwhile, Dr Serena Bender-Pelswijk of the CARICOM Secretariat said initiatives such as this reaffirm member states’ duty to protect the rights of persons living with disabilities. “The inaugural Prosthetic Limbs Camp, which will provide prosthetic limbs free of cost, will significantly improve mobility and quality of life. This camp is about more than receiving a prosthetic limb – it is about the right to autonomy and independence,” she said.
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