WENTWORTH Hospital is the new host site of a R35-million orthotics and prosthetics programme and department, which will train new practitioners and offer onsite care to people in need.
The refurbished orthotics and prosthetics facility at Wentworth Hospital will now offer a four-year course to aspiring orthotists and prosthetists through a partnership between the hospital, KZN Department of Health and Durban University of Technology (DUT), which has its academic department based at the hospital.
The department, which started operating in 2013, was officially launched in November 2014 with the aim of increasing the fold of national practitioners from the current standing of about 420. Orthotics is the designing and building of surgical articles like splints, braces and surgical shoes and prosthetics is the designing and building of artificial limbs.
“Through the partnership we have cemented, we are able to boldly say the scarcity of orthotics and 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 peoples’ lives for the better by meeting the demand for these devices,” said KZN health MEC Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo.
Bursaries will be given to 30 students annually by the KZN Department of Health to study at DUT’s health sciences facility for a Bachelor of health sciences in medical orthotics and prosthetics, based at the hospital.
“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 excited to be part of the process that will change that situation for the better,” said DUT health sciences faculty deputy dean, Greg Bass.
