Thai government donates equipment and machine to advance orthopedic care in Senegal

SENEGAL — The Royal Thai Government has handed the Foundation for Disabled and Mutilated Militaries (FIMM) prosthetics and orthotics worth US$75,000 for its new Prosthetic Centre in Bambilor, Senegal.  

The donation was done under a new agreement on the Development Cooperation Project on Prosthesis between Thailand and Senegal.

The Thai Government has also agreed to renew and to further promote the development of orthopedic healthcare in order to update the machines and equipment as requested by the Senegalese side.

H.E. Mrs. Thippawan Supamitkitja, Ambassador of Thailand to Senegal, on behalf of the Royal Thai Government, handed over the new prosthetics and orthotics production machines and related equipment.

The machines and related equipment will be installed at the new Prosthetic Centre in Bambilor, Senegal.

Colonel Makha Keïta, President of the Council of F.I.M.M., represented the Foundation at the ceremony and Director of Ouakam Military Hospital, Director of the Armed Forces, members of the Board of the Foundation, Director of Army Health and the Foundation’s prosthetics technicians also participated in the event organized at Cercle Messe des Officers, Dakar.

The cooperation project on prosthesis (phase II) is an extension of cooperation in establishing the prosthetic centre (phase I) for F.I.M.M. at Ouakam Military Hospital in Dakar.

Specifically, the Royal Thai Embassy in Dakar, in cooperation with Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA) and Prostheses Foundation of Her Royal Highness Princess Mother of Thailand, carried out in 2011 on the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of Thailand-Senegal Diplomatic Relations.

On that occasion, Thailand’s contribution consisted of donating prosthetics and orthotics production machines and related equipment.

The Thai government also organized trainings in Thailand for Senegalese prosthetic technicians as well as sending experts to Senegal to install the production machine and related equipment, to provide guidance on its operation, and to offer consultation on prosthetic production.

In 2021, the Thai Government agreed to renew and to further promote the cooperation in order to update the machines and equipment as requested by the Senegalese side.

A mutually beneficial partnership in orthopedic care

In 2022, Thailand organized training courses on Basic Lower Limb, Advanced Lower Limb, Upper Limb Prosthesis and Orthosis, and Maintenance and Repair of the Machines, Tools and Equipment of the Foundation’s sand-casting Prosthesis Fabrication for Senegalese prosthetics technicians in Thailand.

Furthermore, this is all in place to help update the machine and technology as well as their knowledge and also for the new Prosthetics Centre to become the regional hub, both in Senegal and West Africa region, in order that Senegal can share knowledge and expertise with other countries in the region.

Staff of the Royal Thai Embassy, led by Ambassador Nipon Petchpornprapas in 2021, visited the Prosthesis Center of Ouakam Military Hospital, which was established in 2011 under a joint technical cooperation project between the Foundation for the Disabled and Handicapped Military (F.I.M.M) of Senegal and Thailand’s Prostheses Foundation of H.R.H. the Princess Mother and Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA).

On hand to receive and brief the Thai delegation on the Center’s activities were Colonel Maha Keita and Colonel Assane Diop, Chairman and Secretary General of F.I.M.M, and Warrant Officer Yahya Mergane, Head of the Center.

Aside from the briefing and site tour, the two sides discussed and exchanged views on how to further support the Ouakam Military Prosthesis Center, which has provided prosthetic services to both military personnel and civilians.

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