Prosthetic support for landmine Victims

Burma is one of the most heavily mined areas in the world, with approximately 1,500 landmine victims, a third of them civilians. According to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), Burma ranks among top in the world for the most extensive use of landmines. The military regime in the country has refused to sign the international treaty banning landmines - clearly sending the message that they have no intention of ensuring that civilians do not continue to be casualties and targets of war.

The ruling junta in Burma refuses to accept responsibility for the victims of landmines and fails to adequately provide them with medical attention. One option for landmine victims is to visit one of the seven prosthetic centers that have been financed by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). These centers provide 90 percent of lower limb prosthetic treatments in the country. Civilians also receive medical attention from mobile medical teams typically using basic equipment and no anesthetic.

There are a large number of landmine victims that flee to the border provinces of Thailand to receive medical care at public hospitals and in refugee camps. For example, in Mae Sot, the Mae Tao Clinic also provides survivors assistance and provides prosthetic limbs.

This campaign seeks to raise awareness about this tragedy and to provide assistance to the border provinces working with landmine victims by donating supplies and money to support this work. There is an urgent need to ensure that victims of landmine atrocities have access to healthcare and are provided with adequate prosthetics. Today, some of the prosthetic’s used are square blocks made of wood. It’s a shame.

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