Patients at Ottobock event
L-R: Swapneel Prabhu- amputated leg, Jayabala Ashar - amputated both feet, Ali - amputated one leg, Pranav Desai -amputated leg & Mahendra Pitale -amputated hands
Offers unlimited athletic support to aspiring 17 yrs- old Mumbai Paralympian
Mumbai, 1st November 2017: Successfully completing 20 years in India, Ottobock has partnered with MSJ &W through its Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation which is set to produce 60,000 sets of quality prosthetics in the next five years for amputees from economically weaker sections of the society – This is expected to improve productivity of mostly young amputee population in India.
In India to inaugurate Ottobock’s state-of-the art rehabilitation facility in Mumbai, the global CEO Prof. Hans Georg Näder spoke about the need for raising the bar for rehabilitation services for people in India. India is home for about 5,436,000 people with mobility related disorders, of which a large percentage finds it difficult to afford available solutions.
Prof. Hans Georg Näder, President and CEO, Otto Bock HealthCare said: “We are proud of what we have achieved in India in the last 20 years. Our expertise in the artificial limb business and our experience with recipients across the globe has helped us to stand the test of time and achieve what we have today. We believe that our partnership with the Indian government will play an important role in the future of mobility services in the country”
Ottobock was the first to introduce international standards of rehabilitation care in India through fully-owned, state of the art clinics and operates a national network of 27 clinics, benefitting over 10,000 patients so far.
Mr. Bernard O’Keeffe, Vice-President, South West Asia and MD Otto Bock HealthCare India added: “Most Indian amputees are young, predominantly male, economically active individuals. Lack of access to a reasonable prosthetic technology reduces their productivity and affects economic status of the entire family. Through the Technology Transfer project with Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ottobock intends to address this situation.”
One of the recipients of Ottobock’s artificial limbs, Pranav Desai, a 17-year old budding athlete, was also present for the inauguration and he said “I stand, walk and run because of Ottobock. I am a state level winner as a gold medallist and now my dream is to go for International championship for Athletics and Olympics. I am also thankful to Ottobock for the technical and financial support extended to me.”
Ottobock combines its global cutting edge technology with extensive local experience to provide artificial limbs, supportive devices and mobility solutions that can improve quality of life of people with limited mobility.
Recipients of Ottobock Prosthetics who were also present at the inauguration:
Pranav Desai:
A 17 year old athlete, with help from a running blade made by Ottobock, Pranav participated in NATIONAL Level Para-Athletic Competition in 100 mtrs, 200 mtrs & 400 mtrs relay in 2017. He now looks forward to bringing a medal or two for India in Paralympics. He was born without a leg and fingers missing from his hands. When he was five years old, he started skating. He graduated from small competitions to interschool games to larger games. In 2015, he participated in Ottobock’s Running Clinic, conducted by Paralympic Gold medalist Heinrich Popow. This helped him shift his focus to sprinting.
Jayabala Ashar:
In year 1999, Jayabala was travelling in a local train to appear for her college exams. A mugger snatched her plastic bag. In fighting him, Jayabala was pushed out of the running train and lost both her legs. Soon, she got back on her feet, showing resilience, which is the character of Mumbai. That was 20 years back. Jayabala now works with the Railways and is a full-time user of prostheses despite her double amputations.
Mahendra Pitale:
Mahendra was travelling in Mumbai suburban railways when terrorists detonated 7 bombs across Mumbai in 2006. Mahendra worked as a graphic designer and his life depended on his hand which he lost in the blast. Mahendra uses an electric prosthesis which replaces some of his hand functions. He works with the Railways, bikes a lot and also is an amateur photographer.
Swapneel Prabhu:
Swapneel is a Chef. He runs his own catering business. But to start doing what he loves to do, his road was full of bumps and sharp turns. 17 years ago, Swapneel met with a road accident which resulted in multiple fractures in his leg. Many spent several years walking with crutches, using orthotic supports, multiple surgeries, recurring wounds. Eventually, he made up his mind to undergo an amputation. This was a bold step, but Swapneel’s family and his surgeon stood by him. Now, Swapneel is mobile and is handling a new catering business which involves standing for long hours - in narrow/crowded places and a lot of other running around which is a part of running a small business. His mobility has dramatically improved after his amputation.
Notes to the editor
About Otto Bock HealthCare
In 1919 after the World War I, a large number of young German soldiers were returning with amputations. It was a challenge to rehabilitate them with the conventional, lengthy methods of manufacturing artificial limbs. Otto Bock, a young Engineer transformed the way artificial limbs were made. Instead of carving wood to fit a patient, he applied manufacturing techniques and created separate components (like knees and feet) that could be combined, altered or customized to create a limb that was still unique to each patient – but wasn’t built from scratch. He founded the company by his own name in Berlin in 1919.
Today, the name Ottobock stands for high-quality and technologically outstanding products and services. The goal of helping to restore mobility for people—or protect what mobility they have—stands behind each and every Ottobock product. The conviction that quality of life is closely associated with a maximum of individual freedom and independence is a key concept that has been a major influence throughout the global leader’s 90-year history. Today, Ottobock also cooperates with the US Armed Forces to develop cutting edge solutions for active war veterans to the extent that they can go back to the battlefield and has a network of distribution and service companies in more than 57 locations.
In India, Ottobock has led the prosthetic industry in advocating for and supporting local needs while still tapping into a global network of research and development, manufacturing, and clinical expertise. Ottobock introduced electronics and other advanced technologies in India, helped Kargil war heroes receive then most advanced artificial limbs and built close cooperation with treating doctors and Institutions to improve standard of care. Ottobock did this by continually investing in India, training hundreds of local professionals to exacting global standards in rehabilitation.