Special Shoes

A 70year old, disabled man has needed specially made shoes for the last 30 years. Everything was going well, until last year September. He went to the Orthopedic Center in Port Elizabeth. He had to wait for a while, which was not a problem, since he brought sandwiches from home and was prepared to wait for a long time. After more than an hour and a half, they asked what size he want to have, and he said that he needed size 7. And again he had to wait. After a long time they told him; “Sorry sir, but we don’t have them in stock. But why don’t you take size 6? We have plenty of them and they are bigger than normal. Let’s try.” So he tried. His toes where right against the leather of his shoe, but the man told him that after a few weeks, the shoe might be a little bit bigger. So, he had to try, this size 6, for more a less two months.

After a few weeks he phoned them, the shoes were hurting him badly. But they still didn’t have the size he actually needed. In November, they told him that he had to wait until the following year, as their budget had been spent. They would phone him, when the shoes were arrived.

The beginning of March he went to the center and told them that the shoe still hurts him and he really needed a bigger size. But they still didn’t have money or size 7. He had to wait until June.

In April his shoes broke and in rain, his feet became wet. He phoned, but no, they couldn’t help him because he was too late. They had given out size 7 to other people and now they had put him on a waiting list. But there are already 30 people ahead of him on that list. He must wait another year, because they already know that the budget will be finished soon and that they can’t give all the people on the list, new shoes. 

What can this man do? His grant is not enough to buy the right shoes he needs and walking in these shoes ……..? He now is praying that there is somebody who wants to help him.

The way of giving out special shoes must have a link with the five points of the WHO and the rules of the Health Department must be followed.