New Generation Artificial limbs
Updated Pylon foot model each costing Rs.15,000/.* RDK shall be empowering hundreds of Divyangs every year with the new Generation Artificial Limbs, with an annual financial budget of Rs.50 lakhs.
India being a low-cost country (read affordability in poor strata of population) has shifted only partially even to pylon-based limbs and negligible with advanced prosthetic limbs (costing whopping Rs 10-40lacs, depending on the features)
Even these pylon-based prosthetics are imported in the country and prove to be expensive for free distribution. Just to give you a perspective, cost of pylon-based limbs is 4times the cost of Jaipur foot. Free distribution of expensive limbs was a challenge when funds were limited, and the coverage of numbers had to be same or more. RDK then decided to develop the pylon-based limbs domestically in India at half the cost of imported pylons.
Over the years there has been a need to technologically improve the aesthetics and life of the pros-thetic limbs. The pylon-based limbs are superior in life cycle costs as well as aesthetics, but upfront costs are high. But when we consider the benefits of pylon-based limbs over Jaipur foot, we find that in longer terms, it is more cost effective. The newer technique limbs are lighter in weight, are more strong and can bear more weight, being
aesthetically more acceptable so have a better compliance rate, and if needed, small component parts can be replaced easily, saving the cost of complete limb and above all they last almost three to four times longer than Jaipur foot. And all these features give it’s beneficiary more confidence in acceptance and compliance and thus more confidence to join the main stream life style and become not only independent but to support the family and dear ones.