Access to orthotics and prosthetics facilitated in Argentina

Most health centers in Argentina do not have shops that carry orthotics and prosthetics in place, thus the access to orthotics and prosthetics is not easy. The reason behind this is a measurement of patient’s limb is must to make a prosthesis or orthosis within the hospital/clinic. Additionally, whenever manufactured artificial limb has to be sent to another location in the country, the process takes several months and can be very harmful to the user. The gap between taking the sample and the development and delivery of the device is more serious in the case of children, because it can cause birth defects. The government of Argentina in a bid to solve this issue has developed a low-cost system that allows professionals to install orthotics and prosthetics workshops in public hospitals. This system allows devices in the hospital environment and specialized personnel for that purpose. The cost is minimal as compared to the benefits to the health system, as the space needed to set up the workshop does not exceed 120 square meters and the machinery required is cheaper than the ARS 30,000. The Technology Center for Health and Disability has already installed workshops in the town of Santo Tomé, Corrientes; Rio Grande, Tierra del Fuego; Malvinas Argentinas, Buenos Aires; Rio Gallegos; province of Catamarca; and the Lencinas Hospital of Mendoza.