Pune: The Artificial Limb Centre (ALC) Pune, a pioneer rehabilitation institute catering to the needs of amputees and locomotor-disabled for more than seven decades, has appraised the ministry of defence (MOD) for its modernisation, by setting up a research centre and ultra-modern manufacturing facility, to bring down cost of prosthesis, orthosis, walking aids etc.
ALC today also provides services to civilians. At present, its clientele base has increased to about one lakh persons across the country as well as some abroad.
“ALC is very relevant to armed forces. Even though we are not fighting conventional wars, we are involved in counter-insurgency and anti-Naxalite operations where there are mine blasts, etc. The Directorate General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) has appraised the MOD to revamp the ALC by doing research. We plan to make advanced artificial limbs in-house, rather than buying from outside. It will bring down the cost. ALC is one of its kind institution functioning since 1948 here, and the time has come to modernise it,” said Surgeon Vice Admiral UK Sharma, Director General (organization and personnel), DGAFMS.
History of ALC
The ALC was set up in Pune on May 19, 1944 to provide artificial limbs, appliances and deliver rehabilitative care to soldiers of the Indian Army, who lost their limbs in combat during both World Wars. In 1945, it was translocated to Khadki, and then in 1946, to Lahore (now in Pakistan). Post-Independence, in 1948, it was re-established at Khadki and then moved to the present location, adjacent to Command Hospital in Wanawadi.
From 1951, the facilities were gradually extended to civilians. In 1958, a 70-bedded civilian wing was added. A 120-bedded ward was already authorised for defence services personnel and ex-servicemen. In 1964, sub-centres were established at Delhi and Lucknow to provide repair facilities. Additional sub-centres have been set up at Chandimandir, Guwahati and Bengaluru.
Keeping pace with times
ALC has to adapt to changing needs of patients. Changes have been made in basic raw material as well as technology. Wood, which formed the basic material for manufacture of limbs, has given way to plastic lamination using epoxy resins and polypropylene. ALC has embarked on a mission to adopt the latest technology of computer-aided designing and manufacture, becoming one of the few institutions in the world to have this technology. An endoskeletal unit has been dovetailed with this project, to make ALC the only centre in the world manufacturing both endoskeletal and conventional limbs together. ALC commandant Brig S R Ghosh said, “The German and American artificial limbs are considered best in the market. We are also encouraging public-private partnership under Make in India for manufacturing the artificial limbs.”
Rehabilitation
At ALC, occupational therapy was started by training amputees in knitting of stump socks and printing. Efforts at enhancing computer literacy were well received by the patients. Recreational activities were commenced and the centre hosted the first National Games for the disabled. The centre has evolved from a production unit into a unique organisation with both a workshop and a hospital. Till date, it is the only one of its kind in the armed forces.
