In 2004 the Cambodia Trust established the Sri Lanka School of Prosthetics and Orthotics, in partnership with the Sri Lankan Government and the Nippon Foundation of Japan.
Sri Lanka needs around 115 prosthetist-orthotists to provide rehabilitation services for its large disabled population, which includes many victims of conflict and the tsunami.
Based upon the Nippon Foundation's philosophy of making a strong effort to promote the bridges of friendship beyond the boundaries set up for political, religious and other reasons, SLSPO has recruited students from all over the island.
The goal of SLSPO is to become the National Training Centre for the education of Prosthetist-Orthotists. Students are taught how to prescribe, make and fit prostheses (artificial limbs) and orthoses (braces), to international standards. The course consists of two years' practical and academic training plus one year supervised clinical placement.
The school has gained international accreditation by the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO) at Category II level as a guarantee of its training standards.
The Ministry expects to employ a reasonable number of trained personnel as they qualify from SLSPO, to meet the demand for Prosthetic and Orthotic services of the country.
A short documentary about SLSPO
