In brief

Julien Ferme, 32, was part of the team of physiotherapists at the orthopaedic-fitting centre set up by Handicap International in Port-au-Prince. He began his mission in early March, as soon as the first patients were ready for fitting.

How did the first people fitted with orthopaedic devices react?
When they first saw their prosthesis, they looked amazed and asked themselves how they'd ever manage to walk with a device like that. It's a temporary prosthesis, so it's not very attractive. But thanks to adjustments made by prosthesists in the workshop and rehabilitation exercises with the occupational therapists and physiotherapists, they were soon able to start walking again with the aid of a crutch, then without, until the smile returned to their face. When a person has had a limb amputated, it's a major transition to be able to stand up again and move around without using your hands. That was true for the first person to receive a prosthesis after the earthquake - Emmanuel. For me, it was a remarkable encounter because, as well as being the first, we shared a lot of interests in common like basketball! We used balls a lot for his rehabilitation exercises, which encouraged him to make a really big effort.

Which patients are fitted with orthopaedic devices?
They're lower-limb amputees, most often identified in hospitals or focal points, two of our three health projects along with the orthopaedic-fitting centre in Port-au-Prince. We have to wait until the stump has healed and the patient's general state of health is good before offering to fit a device. Next, the prosthesists start testing the device to adjust the prosthesis to each individual.
I don't have the exact figures, but generally they're men and women of all ages. There are, however, more patients aged between 20 and 35, especially women, because they were at home when the earthquake struck. The youngest person fitted was 17 months old...

What happens during a rehabilitation session?
Patients visit the orthopaedic-fitting centre once or twice a week. In general, they arrive at 9.30 am and leave around 4 pm. It's quite a long day, in high temperatures, for these patients who travel long distances to get there, some more than an hour. We try to ensure they don't have too much spare time on their hands by offering different activities in various workshops such as parallel bars, strengthening exercises using rubber harnesses, stairs, ball games, etc. We teach patients exercises to do at home to optimise their next prosthesis fitting session. Some children and teenagers play football with crutches. This helps them regain their balance in a fun way. The aim is for these patients to perform day-to-day tasks by themselves as soon as possible and to become self-reliant again. 
Initially, we organised a pick-up service to collect them from their homes, hospitals and focal points. However, we quickly noted that patients were capable of travelling to the centre by themselves, whatever the circumstances and without ever being late. That says a lot about their motivation.

Are there any encounters that really stand out?
A lot of people made an impression on me, including Junior, a very sporty young man. Because his stump recovered well, his physical health was strong and he adapted well to his prosthesis, we were quickly able to make his balancing exercises harder... especially by playing football together, a goal that many patients don't dare consider with their disability (photo). Junior used to go to see his family at Gonaïves on a regular basis, but when he was in Port-au-Prince, he came to the centre and played with the other children; he really helped to motivate the group. In general, children cope with their disability and the fitting of their prosthesis rather well, especially when their parents involve themselves in games-based rehabilitation exercises. For our part, we try to make the time spent at the fitting centre as pleasant as possible, while ensuring patients remain focused on their goals and bearing in mind how tired they are and sometimes their pain.

To read : "The Haitian population made us feel very welcome"