By Reena Bhardwaj
Washington, DC [US], March 27 : A Trinidad man, Seunath Jaggernauth, is on his way to Jaipur to get a low-cost prosthetic limb, an innovative and affordable design developed for those who have lost limbs above the knee.
The non-profit Jaipur Foot, US, a stem of the Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS), is helping Jaggernauth move by offering an artificial limb as well as physical and psychological support.
Reliving the horrific, life-changing event that went down 45 years ago, as he was gearing up to celebrate New Year's Eve with his family in Trinidad, Jaggernauth told ANI, "In 1979, I met with a terrible accident on New Year's Eve. I lost my left limb."
Doctors had to amputate his left foot. Some years ago, the former government employee and cricketer somehow managed to get a standard prosthetic limb, but couldn't afford to maintain it or buy a replacement.
Jaggernauth uses his crutches and does everything with them. But that's all about to change.
"The Indian mission in Trinidad and Tobago, along with the help of Jaipur Foot US, will change my life. It will host me for seven days and give me a free prosthetic leg," he said.
Jaggernauth will be fitted with a new prosthetic or an artificial left leg.
Jaipur Foot has been fitting between 23,000 and 25,000 limbs every year, and about 150 patients arrive there each day.
DR Mehta, the man behind Jaipur Foot, has been offering artificial limbs and other services to disabled people since 1975. By far, the most frequent customers are amputees, and trauma victims, majorly in light of road accidents.
The Jaipur Foot organisation was started with the help of government grants and is now funded mostly by foundations and individual donors.
The organisation uses innovation and cutting-edge science to keep costs low. For instance, the exterior of the leg is made of beige plastic irrigation piping, melted to fit. It means Jaggernauth can now do simple things like walk on two feet.
In the US, a prosthesis like this would cost a few thousand.
"Its cost structure, for a lower limb, is minuscule by Western standards. What costs thousands in the US, costs less than USD 100 here and we provide it absolutely free to the differently abled," Prem Bhandari told ANI.
Bhandari also expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making JFU's parent organisation, BMVSS, a partner in the India for Humanity initiative. So far, 26 international camps under this initiative have been fully sponsored by the Ministry of External Affairs.
Born in Trinidad, Jaggernauth has his roots in India.
"Once I have my (prosthetic) foot and I am back on both feet, i wish to visit the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya," he added.
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