Access to prosthetic services is an essential step to regain mobility following amputation and therefore a chance to recover an active role into society and own community.
To facilitate the access to prosthetic services the Outreach Prosthetic Program has been established under a partnership of MRCS, MOH and ICRC. The Outreach Prosthetic Program (OPP), formerly known as the Joint Program, has been operating since 1990.
During the past years MRCS plays a leading role in the identification (with MRCS volunteers at provincial level) and selection (with MRCS Field Officers) of vulnerable people with upper and lower leg amputations.
The Hpa-An Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Centre (Kayin State) is a project that ICRC manages in partnership with MRCS and it offers prosthetic services for patients from the South.

Components and Activities

Objective
To promote accessibility to prosthetic services for the most vulnerable amputees, notably those living in remote and border areas, through proper identification and selection procedures as well as appropriate assistance for their physical rehabilitation process, i.e. transportation, accommodation, feeding etc.

Partner Agency
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

Collaborating partners
Ministry of Health (MOH)

Target beneficiaries
- Those civilian amputees inflicted in mine explosion, armed conflicts, violence, etc. in remote and border areas
- Those civilian amputees due to disease or accidents, who are destitute and cannot afford prosthetic treatment at their own expense.
- Those military/combat (other ranks or non-commissioned officers)amputees who have been discharged from their service at least for 3 years, who lost their documents to seek further medical care from military hospitals.

Project time frames
2009 January to 2009 December

Project Sites
Prioritize States and Divisions of Kayin, Kayah, Mon, Tanintharyi, Bago

Project activities
Training the Red Cross Volunteer at respective States and Divisions for Patient referral system
Identifies, select and transfer amputees to the centers at the expense of the programme, free of charge.

Prosthetic Centers
- National RehabilitationHospital,Yangon
- Mandalay General Hospital
- Hpa-an Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Centre (HORC)
- Yananthar Leprosy Hospital