Director of Prosthetic Center in North and East Syria Rebaz Ali says plans are in place to establish a second, larger center

ZALIN, Syria — Six years after opening, the Qamishli Prosthetic Center has been expanded with the support of international relief organizations.

In a statement, director of the center Rebaz Ali spoke about the circumstances in which the center was opened, saying that the center consisted of only two rooms, but three years later, they had to move to a wider center as a result of the increase in the number of patients, the majority of whom were young people and children.

Ali said many of the cases are caused by congenital abnormalities.

The center operates on a volunteer basis, he said, and does not receive wages for the services it provides to patients. The center’s funding comes from the Kurdish Red Crescent.

Ali said the center lacks psychological and physical therapy sections, which makes it difficult to deal with children who have not accepted the prosthetics and have difficulty dealing with their new limbs.

Ali added, “We are now working on the establishment of a new center in North and East Syria, which will include three sections: a prosthetic limbs section, a physical therapy section, and a psychological support section.”