The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health, in conjunction with the Durban University of Technology (DUT), invites you to the launch of the DUT Medical Orthotics and Prosthetics Department at 09h30 on Thursday, 13 November 2014, at the Wentworth Provincial Hospital.
KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo and the DUT Vice-Chancellor Professor Ahmed Bawa will both be in attendance at the launch.
The Medical Orthotics and Prosthetics Department, which started operating last year (2013), was established as a result of a partnership between DUT and the KwaZulu-Natal Health Department. It’s primary aim was to increase the number of registered medical orthotists and prosthetics currently there are only about 420 practicing in our country.
Medical Orthotics and Prosthetics refers to the design and manufacturing of artificial limbs (prosthetics) and surgical appliances such as splints, external braces and surgical shoes (orthotics) which support joints or body parts. These appliances, to name a few, support patients who have suffered from strokes, neurological injuries as well as provide post-operative support.
Significantly, the net result of this new programme is that needy patients will no longer have to wait for more than a year to receive prosthetic devices, as has been the case for many years.
Historically, the Department has been faced with a serious shortage of professionals with the expertise to design and craft these assistive devices which, according Dr Dhlomo, “bring much-needed dignity, self-reliance, independence as well as economic viability to our people who are not able bodied.”
Dr Dhlomo said: “Through the partnership that we have cemented, we are able to boldly say that the scarcity of orthotics/prosthetics professionals is now a thing of the past! Thanks to this partnership, we have the opportunity to make a fresh start in our endeavour to change people’s lives for the better by meeting the demand for these devices.”
Before DUT started this programme, Tshwane University of Technology was the only higher education institution in South Africa offering medical orthotics and prosthetics as a course.
The programme, which cost R30 million in total, will annually see 30 bursary sponsored students who meet the programme’s selection criteria being enrolled to study towards a Bachelor of Health Sciences in Medical Orthotics and Prosthetics.
The four-year course will be offered under DUT’s Health Sciences Faculty, with bursaries being offered by the provincial Health Department.
The Programme will be based at the newly renovated facility at Wentworth hospital, which includes laboratories, teaching facilities and offices. Here, students will be closer to patients and will receive greater clinical training.
“We hope to start producing professionals who will address service delivery in KZN. Currently, a patient can wait more than a year to get a prosthetic device or limb. We are very excited to be part of the process that will change that situation for the better,” said Greg Bass; DUT Health Sciences Faculty Deputy Dean.
The event will take place as follows:
Date: Thursday, 13 November 2014
Time: 09h30 for 10h00
Venue: Wentworth Provincial Hospital, Sidmouth Avenue Wentworth.
Enquiries:
Sam Mkhwanazi
Cell: 081 038 2193
or
Greg Bass
Cell: 083 440 2870
