More than 120 Jamaicans benefit from ‘New Limb, New Life’ Programme

More than 120 Jamaicans with physical impairments have, so far, benefited from the Government's 'New Limb, New Life' Programme.

Executive Director, Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD), Dr Christine Hendricks, made the disclosure during an interview with JIS News.

Last year, Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton, announced New Limb, New Life as a means of enabling individuals with physical impairments to lead healthy, productive and independent lives.

This was followed by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Ministries of Health and Wellness, and Labour and Social Security, for the initiative's implementation through the JCPD.

“We have, so far, provided over 120 persons with a prosthesis, or they are being processed through the supplier, who will make the prosthesis available to the clients, and that would be over the year-and-a-half period. This amounted to over $50 million between the JCPD and the Ministry of Health,” Hendricks stated.

New Limb, New Life supports the '#KnowYourNumbers' initiative, which aims to get Jamaicans to do regular screenings to ascertain their health status and modify their behaviour to reduce illness and premature death.

Programme applicants must be between ages 13 and 60, have lost a limb and are registered with the JCPD.

Persons must be assessed by the Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre or a qualified orthopaedic surgeon to determine their suitability.

- JIS News

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