F-2-21-07
Top-AUTHOR: Ms. ADITI P RAJENDRA, HARDIKAR HOSPITAL, PUNE 411 005, INDIA
Co-AUTHOR: Dr. PRADIP D POONEKAR, ARTIFICIAL LIMB CENTRE, PUNE, INDIA.
TITLE: PROSTHETICS IN INDIA: TODAY AND TOMORROW.
PROSTHETICS IN INDIA: TODAY AND TOMORROW
INDIA is a vast and rapidly developing country with a population of about 985 million having an estimated 2% of its population as physically handicapped of which about 8% are amputees. The global changing trends in Prosthetics in the form of materials applied biomechanics and indigenous technology has seen its effects in India too with varying degrees. The gradual change is seen in wider use of plastics, composites and reinforced metal vis-a-vis conventional wood, leather and iron/steel. Various local factors and traditions are projected for better Prostheses in India using "in-house" technology. The final products are, emerging incorporating newer definitions of Appropriate Technology in the Indian scenario. There is changing trends in the educational patterns to sustain and propagate newer technology both at Institutional and Community level.
F-2-21-08
MOBILE PROSTHETIC UNIT IN THAILAND
Jivacate Therdchai (Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai Thailand)
Kaeokarn Thamrongrat (Bangkok Thailand)
Thailand is a developing country with the population of 60 millions. There are about 30,000 lower extremity amputees of various etiology and majority of them live in rural areas. The Prosthesis Foundation of the Princess Mother has set up a mobile prosthetic unit to provide prostheses for them. The prosthesis is an endoskeletal type made from polypropylene. As many as 206 B-K prostheses were made in a 4 day trip. During the past 4 years, the mobile unit has furnished about 2,800 below knee prostheses to amputees all over Thailand. We found that the mobile prosthetic unit is a fast and effective mean of catering prostheses services to needy amputees especially in rural area.
