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Section
Physical rehabilitation
The ICRC provides physical rehabilitation to people injured by anti-personnel mines or by other types of explosive weapons, as well as in a large variety of other types of incident. Access to documents giving details of specific programmes, including annual reports on physical rehabilitation programmes, and the Special Fund for the Disabled.
Injuries inflicted by anti-personnel mines or other explosive weapons can lead to amputation, severe disability and psychological trauma. These casualties require specialist surgery and post-operative care in the first instance and rehabilitation and psychological support in the longer term.

Not all countries have the means to provide the specialized care and social benefits required by the war-disabled. The ICRC has assisted over 70 physical rehabilitation centres around the world to provide physiotherapy and produce prostheses, orthoses, crutches and wheelchairs. This helps the physically disabled to regain some measure of mobility and contributes indirectly to their economic independence. Special care is taken to collaborate closely with local partners, to use appropriate materials and to train national staff. In the longer term, this makes it easier for national partners to take over the running of these fully equipped and staffed workshops.

The ICRC Special Fund for the Disabled (SFD) ensures the continuity of programmes of the ICRC on behalf of people affected by conflict and supports physical rehabilitation centres in developing countries.

See also: Landmines

Key document
    9-6-2008
    Physical Rehabilitation Programme: Annual Report 2007
    Physical rehabilitation programmes help to restore the dignity of amputees and other disabled persons, not only by restoring them to an upright position but also by reintegrating them into their families and communities and enabling them to work and gain an education. This report describes the worldwide activities of the ICRC Physical Rehabilitation Programme in 2007, working to help disabled people affected by conflict.
    (ICRC Activities\Assistance\Health\Physical rehabilitation)
    Report Includes PDF

    21-11-2007
    ICRC Special Fund for the Disabled: teaching does the most good
    Jacques Forget is one of five ortho-prosthetists with the ICRC Special Fund for the Disabled based in Addis-Ababa, who provide training and other support to rehabilitation centres in 17 African countries. He feels teaching provides the greatest impact in his line of work.
    (ICRC Activities\Assistance\Health\Physical rehabilitation)
    Feature Includes Photo

Audio Collection
    16-6-2003
    A decade of assisting Afghan disabled - interview with Alberto Cairo
    Following the publication of his book "Stories from Kabul", Alberto Cairo, head of orthopaedic programmes in Afghanistan, talks about ICRC's work in the country. He speaks about his feelings for the future - for himself, the ICRC and the disabled people he helps.
    (Info resources\Audio\Asia and the Pacific)
    Audio Collection Includes Audio

Feature
    15-4-2008
    Chad: restoring lost dignity
    In a society where it is difficult for people with a handicap to find their place, orthopaedic care helps the victims of mines, accidents and road accidents to restart their lives.
    (The ICRC worldwide\Africa\Chad)
    Feature Includes Photo

    26-12-2007
    Cambodia: handicapped volleyball player achieves more than a medal
    When mine amputee Chim Phan helped his team to gain a bronze medal at the recent world cup final, it was his ultimate triumph over years of pain and struggle. One of thousands of mine victims in Cambodia, Phan represents a generation determined to overcome their handicap.
    (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Cambodia)
    Feature Includes Photo

    17-12-2007
    DRC: young mine victim dreams of playing football again
    Following years of fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) the ICRC maintains its help for vulnerable civilian groups. A young boy who lost his leg in a mine accident tells his story to the ICRC’s Bernard Barrett.
    (The ICRC worldwide\Africa\Congo-Kinshasa)
    Feature Includes Photo

    13-11-2007
    Afghan mine victims brave the odds
    Afghanistan is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world. While considerable progress has been made in recent years in mine clearance, and the number of victims recorded each year has steadily decreased, the scale of the problem remains enormous. Tens of thousands of landmine victims need care and assistance. The ICRC is helping to address the plight of victims in Afghanistan through its orthopaedic programme, which has assisted almost 80,000 disabled people over the past two decades.
    (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Afghanistan)
    Feature Includes Photo

    5-11-2007
    The Cairo Chronicles : bits of life in Kabul
    Alberto Cairo is head of the ICRC's programmes for the war disabled in Afghanistan. Over the past 18 years he has met many ordinary people with extraordinary stories. Extracts from his diary.
    (ICRC Activities\Assistance\Health\Physical rehabilitation)
    Feature Includes Photo

    2-11-2007
    Helping the disabled in Afghanistan: "Enough work for the next 40 years"
    Decades of war have left tens of thousands of amputees in need of care and support to help them build a future. Alberto Cairo has been running ICRC orthopaedic programmes in Afghanistan for nearly 20 years; in Kabul, he spoke to the ICRC's Claudia McGoldrick.
    (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Afghanistan)
    Feature Includes Photo

    25-9-2007
    Mine victims in Iraq: the story of Safin Mustafa
    Safin Mustafa Aziz comes from a village near Erbil. He was out playing with his younger brother when the two were ripped apart by a mine. With courage and determination – and a little help from a blind donkey – he survived and prospered.
    (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Iraq)
    Feature Includes Photo

    14-9-2007
    Chad: young girl's story offers a lesson in survival
    Mahassine is a 13-year-old blind girl. She recently had a leg amputated after being hit by a bullet during an attack on her village. Against all odds, she managed to get on with her life. Yvonne Jansen, the ICRC orthopaedist who took care of her, recalls her courage and unrelenting will to overcome her traumatic experience.
    (The ICRC worldwide\Africa\Chad)
    Feature Includes Photo

    10-9-2007
    Southern Sudan: twice a survivor of war
    Although the conflict between the southern and the northern regions of Sudan ended in 2005, many of its victims are still striving to rebuild their lives. Mayon Deng, 42, joined the Sudanese army in 1984 and was dismissed in 1996 when he lost his left leg in combat. In November 2006, an attack in Malakal resulted in the amputation of his remaining leg. The ICRC's communication delegate in Juba, Robin Waudo, tells Mayon's story.
    (The ICRC worldwide\Africa\Sudan)
    Feature Includes Photo

Field newsletter
    11-7-2007
    ICRC in Afghanistan - Delegation Factsheet on orthopaedic
    Factsheet, April 2007
    (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Afghanistan)
    Field newsletter Includes PDF

    11-5-2007
    Kunming Physical Rehabilitation Centre
    The Kunming Physical Rehabilitation Centre is operated by the Yunnan branch of the Chinese Red Cross Society with the financial and technical support of the ICRC. The centre opened in early 2004 and began to expand its follow-up services in 2005 with the opening of two repair workshops in the south of the province. Since its opening the centre has provided orthopaedic and physiotherapy care for 850 amputees.
    (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\China)
    Field newsletter Includes PDF

ICRC film
    19-9-2006
    Afghanistan: surviving the Peace
    Travelling on roads, working in the fields or even walking to school are fraught with danger in many parts of Afghanistan. After decades of war the country is littered with landmines and explosives which continue to kill and maim. Among recent victims is 15-year-old Kabir who returns to the scene of his accident to tell his story.
    (Info resources\ICRC publications and films\Films\From the field)
    ICRC film Includes Video

    8-12-2004
    Relay for life
    This film presents the inspirational story of Najmuddin, Director of the ICRC orthopaedic centre in Kabul, Afghanistan, as he makes his way to Cairo to carry the Olympic flame and represent landmine victims throughout the world. Najmuddin lost both his legs at the age of eighteen when he drove over an anti-tank mine.
    (Info resources\ICRC publications and films\Films\Assistance)
    ICRC film Includes Video

    31-12-2003
    A new life for Mohsin
    Mohsin, a young man from Kabul, Afghanistan, was badly injured in an accident two years ago which left him paraplegic. This video tells the story of how he overcame his terrible injury and found a new role in life as a grocery shop owner, with the help of the ICRC's Home Care programme.
    (Info resources\ICRC publications and films\Films\Assistance)
    ICRC film

ICRC Publication
    13-7-2007
    Polypropylene technology
    The ICRC Physical Rehabilitation Unit was established in 1979, marking the start of a long-term commitment to promote the use of a technology appropriate to the specific context in which the ICRC operates. In low-income or developing countries affected by war, the role of this inexpensive and high quality technology is crucial, making rehabilitation services more affordable and accessible and making the long-term survival of rehabilitation centres more likely.
    (Info resources\ICRC publications and films\Publications\Assistance)
    ICRC Publication Includes PDF

    28-6-2007
    Prosthetics and Orthotics Manufacturing Guidelines
    These Manufacturing Guidelines are designed to provide the information necessary for the production of high-quality assistive devices. These informative manuals are designed to promote and enhance standardization of ICRC polypropylene technology, to provide support for training in the use of this technology and to promote good practice in this field.
    (Info resources\ICRC publications and films\Publications\Assistance)
    ICRC Publication Includes PDF

    9-8-2005
    Caring for landmine victims
    Every year, tens of thousands of people are killed or injured by landmines and other explosive remnants of war. Those that survive are often disabled for life and need long-term care, not only rehabilitation but also social and economic support. This leaflet examines the challenges involved in providing assistance to the victims.
    (Info resources\ICRC publications and films\Publications\Assistance)
    ICRC Publication Includes PDF

    17-8-2004
    Support for life: physical rehabilitation programme
    A brochure and DVD-Rom combination, this product has been created to mark the 25th anniversary of the ICRC's physical rehabilitation programme. In addition to outlining the history and achievements of the programme, it is intended to raise awareness of the long lasting needs of persons with physical disabilities. The DVD-Rom is an excellent resource containing several overviews, various related publications, photo galleries and videos.
    (Info resources\ICRC publications and films\Publications\Assistance)
    ICRC Publication Includes PDF

Interview
    29-5-2008
    Amputees in Sahrawi refugee camps to receive artificial limbs
    On 15 May 2008 the ICRC began manufacturing artificial limbs for Sahrawi amputees living in the refugee camps around the town of Tindouf, in south-western Algeria. Monhem Arab, an ICRC limb-fitting technician, explains how he and a physiotherapist have been working in Tindouf for the past year on a project to help the disabled. Monhem Arab, who is Lebanese, has been fitting people with artificial limbs for over 20 years, about half that time for the ICRC.
    (The ICRC worldwide\Middle East and North Africa\Tunisia)
    Interview Includes Photo

Photo Collection
    17-4-2008
    Afganistan: landmine survivors play football
    As the clock counts down to Euro 2008 ™, the ICRC and UEFA have teamed up to help the survivors of landmines in Afghanistan through the www.scorefortheredcross.org campaign. Recently, a group of Afghan landmine victims organized a football match outside the ICRC's orthopaedic centre in Kabul to show their support for the charitable campaign.
    (Info resources\Photos\Asia and the Pacific)
    Photo Collection Includes Photo

More in this section
Other site
    2-11-2006
    ICRC special fund for the disabled
    The ICRC Special Fund for the Disabled (SFD) ensures the continuity of programmes of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on behalf of people affected by conflict and supports physical rehabilitation centres in developing countries.
    (Info resources\Other sites\Red Cross and Red Crescent)
    Other site

    13-2-2006
    The 12th World Congress of the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO)
    The ISPO World Congress is the premiere global event for multidisciplinary prosthetic and orthotic care. The ISPO Canada National Society is pleased to welcome you to Vancouver to enjoy the scientific sessions, workshops and symposia, expansive trade exhibits, and active social programs. Congress dates are July 29 - August 3, 2007.
    (Info resources\Other sites\Non-governmental organizations)
    Other site



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6-07-2008