Governor inaugurates free prosthetics camp

The Jaipur Foot Camp was inaugurated on Tuesday at the Jaipur Foot Centre of Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences and Research by Governor Gulab Chand Kataria.

The camp has been organised in collaboration with Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS), Jaipur. More than 200 differently abled patients received free wheelchairs, crutches and artificial limbs during the camp.

Addressing the gathering, the Governor said providing prosthetic limbs was not merely an act of charity, but a commitment to restoring the dignity of and improving the quality of life for people with physical disabilities.

He said the Jaipur Foot Centre — started last year at Sri Guru Ram Das Medical College — was the only centre in Punjab offering prosthetic limbs, callipers and other aids made by the Jaipur Foot Company completely free of cost.

He added that the newly launched camp would ensure that disabled persons from all walks of life could continue receiving assistive tools at no cost. The Governor assured support from the government for such humanitarian initiatives. DR Mehta, founder and chief patron of BMVSS; and a Padma Bhushan awardee, thanked the institute for hosting the camp, lauding its leadership.

During the event, SGPC member Rajinder Singh Mehta presented a cheque for Rs 10 lakh to the BMVSS to support the treatment of disabled persons. Mehta said the camp would prove a boon for people who could not afford prosthetic treatment, and urged everyone to spread awareness about such initiatives, so that more disabled persons across the country could benefit from these.

Dean (University) Dr AP Singh said, since the establishment of the Jaipur Foot Centre earlier this year, over 800 disabled persons had been given free artificial limbs and mobility aids. He said the centre would continue to support patients from across India, with special focus on those in Punjab.

Navdeep Suri, chairman, Jaipur Foot Centre, Amritsar; and Satish Mehta, president, BMVSS, were among the attendees of the camp.