Indian Vice President Venkaiah Naidu (first row, in white) poses for a photo together with patients of new Jaipur Foot Artificial Limb Fitment Camps in Quang Ninh and Yen Bai provinces

The Indian official is paying an official visit to Vietnam from May 9-12 and to attend the United Nations Day of Vesak 2019, at the invitation of Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh.

The first Jaipur Foot Artificial Limb Fitment Camps were launched in two Vietnam’s northern provinces of Vinh Phuc and Phu Tho in July 2018, as part of a Vietnam – India friendship cooperation programme. Since then, the centres have helped more than 500 people with disabilities have artificial limbs to ease their difficulties.

This time, the two newly-inaugurated centres in Quang Ninh and Yen Bai provinces are expected to support additional 500 people with disabilities in Vietnam.

The humanitarian project represents a strong symbol of India’s commitments towards its development cooperation partnership with Vietnam as well as the nations’ close-knit friendship.

At the ceremony, Indian Vice President Venkaiah Naidu voiced his hope that more ideas for cooperation will be implemented in the coming time, thereby promoting the friendship and cooperation between the governments and people of India and Vietnam.

In reply, Vice Standing Chairman of the Quang Ninh People’s Committee Nguyen Van Thang underlined that the project will bring positive effects to the lives of the disabled in Vietnam and bolster the countries’ people-to-people exchanges.

On the occasion, six Vietnamese people with disabilities received surgery to attach artificial limbs.

The Jaipur Foot, also known as the Jaipur Leg, is a rubber-based prosthetic leg for people with below-knee amputations. It is inexpensive and widely acceptable as a prosthesis and as a result has been widely used in India. Ram Chandra Sharma designed and developed it in 1968.-VNA