In the world’s most advanced nations, prosthetic adoption is not treated as a charity; it is treated as a right. A right to mobility, to dignity, and to participation in society without barriers. Across the globe, countries have transitioned from fragmented policies to national missions that make prosthetic care inclusive, equitable, and lifelong. In the United States, federal laws ensure prosthetic coverage under insurance so that no amputee is left behind on account of cost.
The European Union funds awareness campaigns that normalise prosthetic use and fight stigma, enabling amputees to reintegrate confidently into the workforce. Israel guarantees lifelong prosthetic updates and skill retraining for both war veterans and civilians. And in Ukraine, rehabilitation has become a patriotic movement, born out of crisis but built on compassion, where government, NGOs, and citizens work hand in hand to restore lives.
India’s prosthetic journey has long been driven by innovation and intent. Our engineers have created low-cost solutions admired globally. Yet affordability without quality can become exclusion in disguise. A prosthetic that is poorly fitted or fragile doesn’t empower; it isolates. While we celebrate indigenous innovation, we must now match it with systems, standards, and sustainability. The world’s leading examples show that true inclusion requires structure, not sentiment.
In the United Kingdom, the NHS provides prosthetics free of cost, pairing affordability with uncompromising quality. Germany mandates prosthetic coverage through insurance, treating it as a medical necessity. Japan subsidises advanced prosthetics to ensure access for all, while Rwanda, despite limited means, partners with NGOs to maintain international quality benchmarks. India’s challenge and opportunity is to ensure that cost efficiency never comes at the expense of human dignity.
A quiet inequity also divides India’s prosthetic landscape. Most amputees live in rural regions, yet advanced prosthetic care remains concentrated in metros. Mobility, in this sense, becomes a privilege of geography. Countries like Brazil and Australia have overcome similar barriers by setting up regional rehabilitation hubs and training community-based technicians.
Vietnam trained district-level prosthetic workers to decentralise care, while the United States uses telehealth to connect rural patients with prosthetic specialists. India can lead by creating district-level service and repair hubs, training local technicians, and building telehealth-enabled rehabilitation platforms. Because a prosthetic is not a one-time delivery, it is an ongoing partnership of care.
The difference between walking and thriving lies in one word: rehabilitation. Globally, success in prosthetic adoption is not measured by the number of limbs fitted, but by how many lives are fully restored. Germany integrates structured physiotherapy with every prosthetic fitting. Canada ensures mental health counselling for amputees, recognising the emotional toll of limb loss. Scandinavian nations pair new amputees with mentors who have walked the same path.
Ukraine, even amid war, provides integrated hubs where medical, physical, and psychological recovery come together seamlessly. India still treats prosthetics largely as a device transaction rather than a life adaptation journey. A prosthetic limb restores movement; a rehabilitation ecosystem restores confidence, identity, and opportunity.
If India seeks to build a truly inclusive future under Viksit Bharat, it must move from innovation to integration. Prosthetic adoption must be independent of income, geography, or social background through comprehensive insurance and subsidy frameworks. National quality standards should regulate not just prices but also durability, fit, and comfort, ensuring affordability with dignity.
Accessibility must be decentralised by establishing regional prosthetic and rehabilitation centres staffed with local technicians and supported through telehealth systems that reach every district. Every prosthetic program must also integrate physiotherapy, counselling, and community-based reintegration to ensure that healing goes beyond the physical. Public–private partnerships can scale indigenous innovations while maintaining international benchmarks of quality and comfort.
Behind every statistic is a story: a father who can not play with his child, a worker who lost his livelihood, a soldier who dreams of walking again. Prosthetic adoption is not merely about mobility; it is about restoring purpose, identity, and hope. As India marches toward becoming a Viksit Bharat, our measure of progress cannot be limited to GDP or growth rates; it must also include how many lives we restore with dignity.
A nation is not defined by how cheaply it can provide but by how compassionately and sustainably it can empower. It is time India builds not just prosthetics but a National Prosthetic Adoption Mission, a united movement of government, industry, and civil society to make inclusivity a lived reality for every amputee. Because progress means nothing if it leaves even one person behind.