AID grant no. ANE-0102-G-00-1048-00 to the World Rehabilitation Fund, Inc. to initate, implement and support an assistance and developmental program addressing several needs in the field of prosthetics and orthotics for civilian victims of civil strife in Lebanon

Major activities will include professional training, service and product upgrading, development of professional systems and standards, and integration of P&O with other rehabilitation services. Both public and private institutions will receive support under the grant. Professional training will be pursued in several ways. (1) A 2-year P&O professional technologist training program will be established at the American University of Beirut (AUB); an in-service program will also be developed at AUB. In addition, training will be available for persons in related professions such as medicine, nursing, emergency care, social work, and administration; this will include in-service training opportunities and the incorporation of P&O in existing professional pre-service training programs. WRF will also increase the availability of professional P&O literature and journals, and will support development of a national reference library on rehabilitation. Upgrading of P&O services and local production of P&O devices will be a priority. WRF will: (1) provide equipment and supplies to non-profit service providers, with emphasis on increasing local production of P&O products; (2) initiate programs to centralize or regionalize the production and repair of P&O devices, as well as in-service training for technicians in the use of sophisticated P&O devices; (3) promote professional exchange among P&O technicians through joint training programs, workshops, seminars, etc.; (4) create a patient referral system; and (5) strengthen management capacities in the field, particularly in financial management and ways to help clients afford P&O services. WRF will also help in establishing professional P&O organizations and will support the development of a legal framework for P&O training and practice, as well as efforts to set up consumer organizations and related interest groups. Finally, WRF will work to integrate P&O services into other rehabilitation programs and activities.