The development of orthopaedic appliances and low cost aids in "least developed countries"

The constant reminder of ever-increasing costs and problems in regard to medical care in industrialized countries highlights the need for simplified, low cost, orthopaedic appliances for use in the non-industrialized areas of the world. Those who are engaged in the field of Orthopaedic Technology should withstand the temptation to propagate unreservedly the technologies of industrialized nations. Nowadays the so-called "non-appropriate technologies" have become the target of frequent criticism. The transfer of technology may offer visible progress in selected areas to a limited number of people but it conceals the danger of ignoring fundamental socio-economic conditions that affect the majority of people. During the United Nations Year of the Disabled, a group of international experts unanimously came to the conclusion that the current cooperation between industrialized and Third World countries requires revision leading to a new order. The consensus demanded a new emphasis on the development of technical orthopaedic services which would take into account the unique economic, social, cultural and environmental factors of each region. This paper examines the practices of technical orthopaedics in a "least developed country" and lays down principles and practical applications which could serve as a foundation for a more appropriate approach in this field.