To Impart the JICA Training Program for Laboratory Staffs

• Course Title: Prosthetic and Orthotic Technique, 2007 Group training
• Implementing Partner: National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities (NRCD)
• Organizer: Tokyo International Center (JICA TOKYO)

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Making a device in the training

For the last 14 years, I have been working in a non-profit/ non-governmental organization called DRA, established by the Dominican Republic in 1963. DRA offers various services, such as medical services, special education, and formation and employment to physically disabled, mentally retarded persons and children with learning disabilities. I am in charge of the orthopedic laboratory which is in function since 1960's. Thus, my main purpose to participate JICA training program was to learn new techniques in the field of prosthetic which is presently lacking in me as well as in my laboratory.

One of the remarkable problems in my country is the lack of training program in Prosthetic and Orthotic, as well as the lack of other rehabilitation disciplines which results in a difficulty in growing qualified personnel at the rehabilitation centers, even in DRA. Thus JICA training provided me not only with new techniques but also with the fundamentals such as the precisions and care in the process of measurement and fabrication/modification of a positive model. Our personnel in my orthopedic laboratory will receive all these training after my returning to the country which results in an improvement of the service qualities to the persons with disabilities.

Firstly, I would like to organize a training program on the topics more important to overcome our needs with the coordination of laboratory staffs: where, how and when to impart the training program. According to JICA training, it requires at least 260 hours to disseminate this capacity building training program in DRA. Therefore, we need to establish the efficient and sustainable human resource training program which responses the social needs in Dominican Republic.