Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology has partnered with Clinton Health Access Initiative to develop a curriculum that is aimed at fast-tracking the local manufacture of implants and training professionals in prosthetic and orthotic care in the country.
Prosthetics and orthotics are specialized fields in health care that concentrate on designing and fitting artificial limbs, otherwise known as prosthetics, with supportive devices referred to as orthotics. These devices help people who have physical impairments by enhancing their mobility and functionality. Prosthetics replace missing limbs for the betterment of life quality of amputees. Orthotics provides support and correction to conditions like spinal injuries and deformities.
“The main goal is to have a comprehensive curriculum for the Bachelor of Science in Prosthetics and Orthotics,” said JKUAT. The program seeks to address the technical aspect of making prosthetics and orthotics devices and also ensure local health experts receive sufficient training to address the needs of the Kenyan population.
According to Dr. Reuben Thuo, the Principal of JKUAT College of Health Sciences, what beguiled them into developing a localized curriculum was to empower the local industry in order to produce high-quality and affordable prosthetic orthotic devices and cultivate a skilled workforce with the capacity to offer these services within the country.
According to the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey, five million Kenyans live with some form of disability. Out of these, three million do not have access to appropriate Assistive Technology devices, infrastructure, and equipment. This shortage influences maintenance and repairs, hence affecting mobility and contributing to a limitation in participation in everyday life activities, said Anthony Mukui, a program manager at CHAI.
This would be addressed by this partnership to ensure better support for improved quality of life among the physically impaired in Kenya.