VIJAYAWADA: For the first time, artificial limb manufacturing units are set to be established in five teaching hospitals across AP, announced Health Minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav. These units, to be set up in Visakhapatnam, Ongole, Vijayawada, Tirupati, and Kurnool, will produce prosthetic legs, hands, wheelchairs, hearing aids, and other assistive devices for persons with disabilities.
The minister said that by providing doctor-prescribed prosthetics directly through these centres, the financial burden on patients would be reduced. Acting on a letter from Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, the Union Government has agreed to establish these facilities in the state. Inspection of sites, infrastructure, and requirements began on Monday by central teams at the designated hospitals.
Currently, teaching hospitals already issue 21 types of disability certificates under the Sadaram scheme, and these new units will integrate with existing services. The initiative is part of the Pradhan Mantri Divyang Vayoshree Scheme, under which 102 centres are operational nationwide. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment plans to expand this to 300 centres by 2030. Responding to the Chief Minister’s request for one unit in each of the State’s 27 districts, the ministry has approved the first phase in five hospitals.
Following discussions between Surya Kumari, Secretary of Women & Child Development, Welfare of Senior Citizens, PwD, and Hijra Welfare Department, and Chakradhar Babu, Director of Secondary Health, special teams from the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) began assessments.
The units will handle measurement, casting, thermo-plastic moulding, fabrication, assembly, fitting, rehabilitation, and repairs. Advanced clinical measurement systems will ensure precision, while custom sockets, prostheses, splints, and orthoses will be designed to meet patient needs.
The Minister emphasised that these centres will provide support—from measurement to fitting and repair—ensuring accessible, affordable, and high-quality prosthetic care for persons with disabilities.