Artificial limb manufacturing units to come up in five teaching hospitals in A.P.

Health, Medical and Family Welfare Minister Satya Kumar Yadav on Monday announced that artificial limb manufacturing units would soon be established in five government teaching hospitals across Andhra Pradesh.

The centres, to be set up in Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Ongole, Tirupati and Kurnool, will manufacture a range of assistive devices required by persons with disabilities, including artificial limbs, wheelchairs, hearing aids and other mobility and support equipment. The initiative aims to make such devices more accessible and affordable for beneficiaries, the Minister said in a statement.

Following approval from the Union government, teams from the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) began visiting the identified hospitals on Monday to assess land availability and infrastructure requirements for establishing the units.

According to the Health Department, India currently has 102 such manufacturing centres. With the Union government planning to increase the number to 300 by 2030, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had urged the Centre to establish one such facility in every district of Andhra Pradesh. In response, approval was granted for setting up units in the five cities.

Director of Secondary Health K. V. N. Chakradhar Babu and Secretary, Women, Child Welfare, Senior Citizens, Differently-Abled Persons and Transgender Welfare Department, Surya Kumari, reviewed the proposed facilities and discussed various aspects related to their establishment on Monday.

The government will shortly launch a recruitment drive to appoint personnel for measuring beneficiaries, manufacturing and fitting assistive devices, undertaking repairs, and providing other support services. The centres are expected to significantly improve access to quality assistive devices and after-sales support for persons with disabilities in the State.