Living with a disability or catering for someone who has a form of functional disability is truly quite expensive, considering how you would need to pay for medical expenses, modified transport and housing, and of course personal assistive devices and supports in order to live a ‘normal’ and decent life.
A prosthetic limb is an invaluable asset and investment to the mental health and economic productivity of a person with limb loss. A conscientiously designed and manufactured prosthetic limb would enable the user to engage in activities of daily living optimally and independently
Currently in Nigeria, Standard lower limb prostheses cost an average of 350,000 – 5 million for Below-knee amputations and 750,000 – 10 million for Above-knee amputations. The Above Elbow prosthesis averages 500,000 – 10 million and 300,000 – 5 million for Below elbow prostheses.
These prices are influenced by a lot of factors. We’ll highlight some of them as peculiar to Nigeria.
THE LEVEL OF AMPUTATION
The level or part of the amputation is of course the first and major determinant of the type of prosthesis to be given and then its cost. Asides from the popular below and above the knee or below and above elbow amputation levels, they are other significant amputation types such as toe or finger amputations, Through-knee Amputation, Hip amputation, and Through-elbow amputation. These specialized amputations would require special prostheses and highly skilled prosthetists to achieve an optimal result.
THE COMPONENTRY
The first thing your prosthetist will do before designing and manufacturing your prosthesis is to find out about your mobility goals, activity level, Stump condition, lifestyle routine, career or vocation, and any other underlying conditions. These are what will inform the type of components/prosthesis to be selected. Prosthetic components come in various materials such as titanium, aluminum, and steel. As well as different technology, operating mechanisms, and brand manufacturers. The technology and material will be matched with your mobility realities and then different options will be presented at varying prices.
While manufacturers make general prosthetics for everyday use, some manufacturers also make specialized prosthetics. For instance, People who have an interest in sports or fitness programs, for example, require a special kind of leg, foot, or arm to do the activity. A standard prosthetic won’t give them the flexibility, agility, or strength to perform specialized activities. This is an example of how your lifestyle can influence the prosthesis cost.
Feel free to inquire further as to how the different options will help you.
IMPORTATION
The majority of these components are not locally produced in Nigeria and would require that there are outsourced from various companies outside Nigeria. And as you can imagine the whole hassle and challenges affecting the importation industry such as inaccessibility to foreign exchange, high import and clearing duties, etc. also come to play. Although, there are a couple of distributors in the country that purchase these components in bulk and retail to professionals in demand. Specialized components are not readily available because they are not in high demand and would require to be imported if your mobility needs so demands.
SERVICE CHARGE
Standard Artificial limbs are custom-made by skilled and trained clinical prosthetic professionals who employ a multidisciplinary approach to design and manufacture a functional prosthesis. Of course, they get paid for such a demanding and tasking service. Special requests like home service, extensive gait training, or express delivery could also affect the overall cost of your prosthetic limb
AESTHETICS
Cosmetic considerations in how the leg will look affect the types of materials used, which will also affect the final cost. There are various cosmetic options such as Silicone cover, PVC cover, the traditional socks cover, etc. these will also be discussed during the examinations.
THE SERVICE PROVIDER
For some prosthetic centers, a higher price point means higher quality. However, with cost-effective manufacturing strategies and extreme production efficiency, we, at Tuff Care, are able to deliver high-quality products for the least possible cost, providing maximum value. We have established connections with major prosthetic component manufacturers which allows us to procure directly and at discounted rates so we are able to give our clients even more value. We also offer a customized payment plan to ensure that nothing holds you back from getting back on your feet.
Click the button below to reach us on WhatsApp for a free consultation for more information. https://wa.link/7lbjpc
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