Cost-effective footwear for leprosy control programmes: a study in rural Ethiopia

A randomized, controlled trial of commercially available canvas shoes was carried out in a rural area of Ethiopia. Subjects with deformed and anaesthetic feet, most with ulceration, were given either canvas shoes or plastazote/moulded shoes and followed up for one year. Seventy-five percent of subjects with ulcers who used canvas shoes had no ulcer at the end of the study, while no significant change was noted in the plastazote group. The durability and acceptability of the shoes were also examined. Clients in remote areas who have no access to an orthopaedic workshop, but who have anaesthetic feet, with or without deformity, should have access to canvas shoes with an MCR insole. Two pairs are needed per year at a cost of US$6.7 per pair.