Creation of a new orthopedic centre

Duration:

January 2023 – December 2025

Location:

Ziguinchor, Casamance region, Senegal

Beneficiaries:

Up to 600 people with disabilities and more than 3,000 indirect beneficiaries

Area of intervention:

Ability in physical rehabilitation

Partner:

ISAD – Initiative solidaire des actions de développement

Ziguinchor is a small town located in an area with a high concentration of amputees due to the presence of landmines and armed conflicts that have lasted for more than 30 years.

Until 2022, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has promoted a campaign to provide prosthetic limbs to 40 amputees a year through the nearest rehabilitation centre, located 150 km away in Guinea-Bissau. Unfortunately, the ICRC had to close its program, and Ziguinchor amputees have been left stranded for options to regain their mobility.

Sarani Diatta, coordinator of ISAD (Initiative solidaire des actions de développement, formerly known as Association des victim de mines) turned to SwissABILITY for assistance in building a local orthopedic centre on a land that was granted to him by the local government.

The project focus on:

- Construction of an orthopedic and physioctherapy workshop equipped with orthopedic machinery and materials.
- Training of rehabilitation professionals.
- Purchase of a mobile clinic.