Bombay Leprosy Project

Disability Care

Though the disease is completely cured with effective medical treatment, several patients are left with various grades of disabilities of hands, feet and eyes. The following are the simple and low cost physical aids developed and field-tested by BLP to offer community based disability care and rehabilitation.

Type of disability	Simple physical aids	Purpose
Correctable hand deformities	Prefabricated splints	Prevention and correction of hand deformities
Hand deformities that are not correctable	M-Seal grip -aids	Facilitate normal hand function
Sole wounds	a) Dressing kits b) 'Mini' plaster cast	Wound healing

Finger Gutter for releasing the joint stiffness of fingers	Adductor band
Finger Loop for keeping the finger joints mobile	Opponens Loop for releasing web contracture of thumb
Usage of inexpensive splints may eliminate the need for surgery.

Once the disability becomes permanent, life long care is imperative. It has to be practised very meticulously and with tenacity by the affected persons. The leprosy workers and even volunteers derived from the local communities can easily practise these simple techniques under field conditions. Such simple techniques also minimize the frequency of the services to overcome logistic difficulties, particularly experienced in rural areas.

"Pre-fabricated splints" for the prevention and correction of hand deformities

Pre splint	Splint	Post splint
Use of inexpensive splints may eliminate the need for surgery.

"Grip-Aids" made of inexpensive araldite material for the patient having grossly mutilated hands

Araldite materials such as 'M-SEAL' and 'FEVISEAL' are readily available everywhere and are easy to mould.	Grip-Aid
Practically adhesive to almost all the articles and enables better grip on tools and objects of daily use.

"Dressing" Kit

This kit is developed mainly for self wound care and contains all materials required to dress a sole wound for one month. The kit is replaced every month till the wound heals. The compliance is good.

Community Volunteer providing "Dressing Kit" for home ulcer care

"Mini plaster cast" for the treatment of sole wounds :

Mini plaster cast	Requires minimal plaster material and is easily applicable even by the volunteers. Useful for treating the sole wounds occurring on the fore-foot with no risk of developing complications.
Facilitates mobility and heals the sole wounds as well. Acceptable to all the patients in urban and rural areas.

"Ulcer Care" kit for offering foot care:

Useful to offer ulcer care at the patient's door step in slums and villages.
Helps to carry all the necessary inexpensive material required for providing ulcer care.
Can be used by motivated volunteers living in the community.

'Ulcer Care' Kit

The Mobile Service Unit donated by HDZ

The Mobile Service Unit (Jeep with HDZ logo) donated by HDZ is used to offer POD services in villages of Thane district

BLP has been offering these physical aids to a number of disabled leprosy patients living in Mumbai slums as well as selected villages in Thane & Raigad districts of Maharashtra through Mobile Service Unit (MSU) since 2001. This activity is supported by The German Dentists Sponsorship for Leprosy (HDZ), Germany www.hilfswerk-z.de

BLP gratefully acknowledges the continued financial support received from HDZ, Germany, which has transformed the lives of several disabled leprosy patients in Maharashtra.

Rehabilitation

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