Personalised Co-creation of Locally Produced Prosthetics in Nepal: Case Study 2 – Prosthetic Hand

Access to assistive technology remains unequal worldwide, with just 11% of people in low-income countries getting the support they need. In Nepal, this gap is amplified by rugged terrain, limited imports, and underreported disability rates.

As part of the AT2030 Local Systems Strengthening project, the Global Disability Innovation Hub supports the development of custom prosthetic hands in Kathmandu. Designed for the local context, these hands are being co-created by a global-local innovation team using digital fabrication and locally sourced materials.

Two pilot prosthetic hand cases have already delivered life-changing impact, providing devices to users who would otherwise go without, and demonstrating the potential for sustainable, scalable prosthetics production in low-resource settings. These successes have attracted new funding and strengthened a growing innovation ecosystem in Nepal.