Causes and consequences of the deficiencies of the lower limbs in the Republic of Guinea.

Purpose: According to the last general census of 1996, the deficiency of lower limbs is the main cause of handicap in the Republic of Guinea. The objective of this study that took place in 2008 in Conakry is to analyze the main causes of this phenomenon, as well as to understand the reasons of their increase within the Guinean capital.

Method: Our survey covered 244 Guineans out of which 170 men and 74 women were living in Conakry, aged between 10 and 68 years old (±12,6).

Results: The main causes of the deficiencies are the poliomyelitis after-effects (40%), as well as other risk factors such as the road accidents and the failure of the health system. Whatever the nature of the deficiencies, their compensation is mainly based on the technical supports such as tricycles and wheelchairs. However, they are distributed in a random way and without any medical follow-up.

Conclusion: The orthopedic care in the Republic of Guinea is insufficient and inadequate. Hence, certain individuals who need it the most do not receive it. This type of care is not always helpful and sometimes harmful to the health of the disabled persons.