India to provide artificial limbs to 1000 people in Afghanistan

Kabul, May 18: An Indian organisation, specialising in prosthetic legs, will supply artificial limbs free of cost to 1,000 physically challenged Afghan nationals in the war-torn country.

Jaipur Foot has signed an agreement with the Afghan government to supply 1000 prosthetic legs to terror attack victims and polio sufferers.

"Indian organisation had agreed to provide the limb free of cost," said Amina Afzali, Minister of Work, Social Affairs, Martyred, and Disabled in Afghanistan.

"Jaipur Foot will manufacture limbs for those who have lost their legs to roadside bombings, terrorist attacks or polio disease," Afzali was quoted as saying by Pajhwok Afghan News agency.

Afzali hoped the assistance would further consolidate relations between the two countries.

An agreement to the effect was inked between Afzali and DR Mehta, founder and patron-in-chief of Jaipur Foot. Indian ambassador to Afghanistan, Amar Sinha, said India was committed to continued assistance to Afghanistan.

India has also planned to help the Disabled Technical Institute in Afghanistan to enable the people here to produce artificial limbs themselves.

"Provision of artificial limbs to 1,000 disabled people would help resolve their problems," Mehta said. He added his organisation had been able to provide prostheses to more than a million people across the globe.

PTI