BY

Professor Jagbir Singh Sudan

(President Pritam Trust, Poonch)

Amputation of the surgical removal of a limb or part of a limb . It is performed to remove a diseased tissue to relieve pain. The cause of amputation differs significantly in various countries. For example, the countries with recent history of warfare and civil unrest will have a higher incident of amputation. Take the example of America there are approximate 3,50,000 amputees with some 65,000 new amputation are performed every year. According to Govt. Sample survey conducted in India there were one million people who lost their Limbs as a result of accidents, Land Mines, IED blast and Gunshot, in war zone and strife torn areas. Due to war itself or its technology (Land Mines, Uncontrolled Ordnance etc.) a hazard on the border, which has been created by these deadly unnoticed devices. Since 1965 innumerable land mines explosions has disabled or killed more than a million in India and are currently thought to be killing more than 800 civilians a month all over the world.

In some of the Indian states adjoining to the border, especially the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir state, the mine and IED, have created havoc among the civilians and many have died or rendered limbless for no fault of theirs. Due to these unfortunate events, the man who becomes disabled may lose his job.

The effort of Pritam Trust last 25 years have provided thousand of limbs from different camp organized in entire J&K state from time to time and a regular free artificial limbs repairing service is provided to the disabled persons for repairing of limbs at Pritam Trust Limb Repairing Centre at Poonch.

During this long experience of service of these unfortunate disabled persons, I have noticed that is many cases limb amputations are not done properly considering the rehabilitation of these patients for proper fitness of artificial limbs.