It is currently estimated that up to 40,000 people in Sierra Leone require orthotics and prosthetics services but don’t have access to them. Currently, the nation boasts only one fully certified prosthetist available for all patients when the ideal number should be one for every 250, according to the World Health Organization and the International Society of Orthotics and Prosthetics.
This is what Francesca Riccio-Ackerman, a biomedical engineer and MIT PhD student studying health equity and health systems, is trying to change, according to a report published by MIT on Sunday.
“We’re really focused on improving and augmenting human mobility,” said Riccio-Ackerman. “People with amputation need low-level, consistent care for years. There really needs to be a long-term investment in improving this.”
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Source: Interesting Engineering