CENTRE OF PROSTHETICS

Azat Artsakh Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
15 Sept 05

The Centre of Prosthetics of Stepanakert was founded by the German
branch of International Christian Solidarity in 1995 with the support
of Baroness Caroline Cox. The centre was supported by the mentioned
organization till 2000. Since 2000 it has been under the auspices of
Nagorno Karabakh Republic. The director of the Centre of Orthopedic
Prosthetics Levon Sarghissian said 346 disabled persons are registered
in the centre. Of them 147 are from Stepanakert, 49 from Martuni, 45
from Martakert, 47 from Hadrut, 43 from Askeran, 15 from Shushi and 4
from Berdzor. The majority became disabled during the war in Artsakh,
the rest are veterans of the Great Patriotic War, people with diabetes
who underwent amputation, as well as young children. Almost every year
the number of the disabled increases by 10-15. According to the
director of the centre, the increase is caused by the large number of
diabetes patients in the country. The services in the centre are free
of charge. By the decision of the government once in two years a new
prosthesis is provided to the disabled free of charge. 15-20 people
per month need repair of prosthesis. Owing to the three orthopedists
Karen Danielian (1995), Mher Avanessian and Oleg Mirzoyan working here
the centre does not have any problems connected with the services.
>From 1997 to 2000 two of the mentioned orthopedists were trained in
Yerevan at the centre of prosthetics. All the expenses were covered by
the German organization, and some time later the third specialist
passed a short training. The director of the services said since 2000
in the framework of the joint programme of the German NGO Image of
Hope and the NKR Ministry of Social Security once a year the centre
supplies aid to 300 sole pensioners (food) and 70-75 parentless
children living in Karabakh (food and clothes). The distribution of
the aid to parentless children is done in the second half of the month
of September. The Image of Hope sends the aid to the Yerevan office,
the representative in Yerevan personally deals with the shipment of
the aid to Stepanakert. The director of the centre said the patients
are satisfied with the quality of work and service. The work is done
in time. Heriknaz Isoyan, mother of two children from Berdzor, lost
her legs and one hand in an accident. She was confined to the
wheelchair for a long time and was unable to do anything about the
house. After coming to the centre she rediscovered herself. She can
walk without others’ help and even embroider. We asked the director if
the centre comes across any obstacles or faces any problems. The
answer was brief: `The centre has no problems.’

NVARD OHANJANIAN.
15-09-2005