The Restoring Hope for Amputee Foundation has called for more emotional and psychological support for amputees, saying recovery does not end with surgery and physical rehabilitation.

The foundation, in conjunction with Gbagada General Hospital, Lagos, made the call at a programme held at the hospital on 15 October to mark World Mental Health Day. Doctors, people living with disabilities and advocates discussed the emotional challenges that follow amputation and how patients can be supported.

The foundation’s founder, Engr. Oluwayemisi Karim, spoke from experience. She has lived with an amputation for about 46 years, after losing a limb in an accident at the age of six.

She said the loss exposed her to poverty, discrimination and rejection, and made it hard to find work. She still went on to earn two master’s degrees, one of them in communication engineering, and is considering a PhD.

“Losing a limb,” she said, does not mean losing the ability to achieve personal and professional goals. She added that physical wounds heal, but the emotional effects can last for years, especially when patients face rejection, isolation and negative attitudes from society.

A consultant orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Adewale Ode, spoke on the theme “Nothing Is Wrong With Amputation”. He said the procedure should be seen as a way of preserving life and restoring function when a limb cannot be saved. 

He called for a team approach to care, involving surgeons, psychologists, psychiatrists and other health professionals, and urged doctors to be sensitive when discussing amputation with patients and their families.

A consultant psychiatrist, Dr Adebowale Oluyemisi, said amputees can experience grief, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and difficulty adjusting to changes in their body image. 

According to her, some withdraw from social activities for fear of discrimination, while others turn to substance use to cope. She stressed that recovery is a process and that patients need continued psychological support.

The deputy medical director of Ikorodu General Hospital and a gynecologist, Dr Onaolapo Nurudeen, said psychological care should be part of the treatment of patients facing amputation.

He said patients are counselled before surgery on the medical, psychological and financial implications, and that outpatient services offer psychological support.

He appealed to philanthropists and other well-meaning Nigerians to help patients who cannot afford treatment, noting that money problems can add to the burden of limb loss.

Peer support from the foundation, the programme heard, can also help patients connect with people who understand what they are going through.

The founder of the Scoliosis Focus Foundation, Dr Ayomide Akintan-Adejuwon, spoke on stigma and self-acceptance. She urged people living with disabilities not to let society’s attitudes shape how they see themselves.

“Make sure you don’t reject yourself because you are fearfully and wonderfully made by God. Therefore, you can still be a blessing to someone and your generation,” she said.