The Rehabilitation Projects of APPNA in the Earthquake stricken areas:

The earthquake of October 08, 2005 devastated the northern areas of Pakistan causing unprecedented damage and loss of life. While there was a natural outpouring of tears and grief, people from all walks of life opened their hearts and wallets to help the victims. Pakistani American physicians were not behind as APPNA alone collected $2.1 million for the earthquake victims.
There were huge numbers of amputees and paraplegics left in the wake of the earthquake and long-term rehabilitation was needed for the affected people. There were 719 amputations and 659 paraplegic patients officially recorded from different hospitals in NWFP and Punjab provinces.
APPNA was also gearing up for the second phase of long term relief efforts. Then president of APPNA Dr. Rashid Piracha and chair of Social and Welfare committee, Dr. Javed Akhter, in consultation with committee and APPNA council members decided to create rehabilitation institutions in the vicinity of the earthquake stricken areas. Within a short period of 6-12 months, APPNA set-up two rehab centers in the cities of Rawalpindi and Mansehra, fully equipped to offer physical therapy and artificial limbs.

APPNA - PIPOS Rehabilitation Center of Mansehra: The Pakistan Institute of Prosthetic and Orthotic Sciences (PIPOS) is Pakistan's primary prosthetic treatment center and the only school for prosthetic and orthotic sciences in South East Asia. PIPOS was informally created in 1979 by the German nonprofit GTZit and is affiliated with the Peshawar University. PIPOS is distinguished as the preeminent amputee hospital in the country and provides artificial limbs for patients at five sites across Pakistan. The PIPOS-APPNA Rehab Centre, situated in the District Headquarter Hospital (DHQ) of Mansehra, has been fully operational since February 2006. The center is well equipped with the machinery necessary for the manufacturing of prostheses (artificial legs) and orthoses (body supports).

APPNA's NEW YORK CHAPTER pledged US $200,000 as three-year funding of this project.

In the year 2006-2007, the Centre provided physiotherapy, prosthetic and orthotic services to 593 patients. The centre manufactured and fitted 271 assistive devices with 103 Prostheses and 168 Orthoses. All services were provided free of cost to the patients. The net project cost to APPNA between June 2006-September 2007 has been Pak Rupees 4.95 million (US$ 82,600).

APPNA Rehabilitation Center at Rawalpindi General Hospital:
This project was undertaken by APPNA due to the personal interest and commitment of Professor of Orthopedics, Dr. Salim Chaudhary at RGH who has been instrumental in completing this project in record time. A budget of $286,000 was allocated for this project by APPNA. An existing building was remodeled and expanded to construct three operating rooms and a connecting bridge between the units and the OR.
The center is located on the campus of Rawalpindi General Hospital and comprises of the following:

1- Physiotherapy unit.

2- Orthopedic workshop and Artificial limb center.

3- Orthopedic Rehab ward

4. Orthopedic and Spinal Operating rooms.

The center has been operational even in its infancy as volunteer teams of Physiotherapist and Orthotic experts visited the center in late 2005 and early 2006 to install prosthetic limbs on earthquake amputees.
This rehab center fitted 666 patients with prosthetic limbs. These patients undergo the necessary physiotherapy in order to learn the use of artificial limbs and are seen at the center for follow-up visits.
The center had performed 1342 surgeries till the end of 2007, additionally, 3841 visits were recorded for patients requiring physical therapy and rehabilitation.

It is our hope that most of these patients would be able to earn a living or at least not become dependent on others for the rest of their lives.

This center may well become the second Institute of Prosthetic and Orthotic Sciences in Pakistan in the future.