As part of its efforts to improve the care provided to persons with specific needs, the Director General of the National Office of Equipements and Accessories for Persons with Disabilities (ONAAPH), Mr. Mohamed Mouidi, granted an interview to the Algerian Press Service (APS). In this interview, he presented the Office’s key achievements and services in the field, as well as future projects intended to further develop the Office and strengthen the quality of its services.
On the occasion of the celebration of the National Day of Persons with Specific Needs, Mr. Mouidi stated to APS that the achievements made and the services implemented for this category have enabled Algeria to become “a model in the provision of orthopedic and prosthetic devices for persons with disabilities.” He further noted that “more than 100,000 persons benefit each year from prostheses, orthoses, and accessories provided by the Office.”
The ONAAPH provides care for medical devices designed for persons with specific needs, particularly those living with motor, hearing, or visual disabilities, as well as equipment that contributes to physical comfort. In this regard, the Office covers the manufacture and supply of orthopedic devices, the distribution of mobility assistive aids, and their maintenance.
In 2025, the Office provided services to 118,491 beneficiaries of prostheses, orthoses, and accessories, representing an 18% increase compared with the previous year.
Under the implementation of a proximity policy, multidisciplinary teams consisting of Office technicians and physicians have been deployed, in coordination with the services of social security organizations. Their mission is to provide care to persons with disabilities residing in certain wilayas in the South and on the High Plateaus, where ONAAPH structures are not available. This approach enabled the Office, during the year, to support 475 persons with specific needs, sparing them the burden and cost of long-distance travel.
Mr. Mohamed Mouidi also highlighted the progress achieved by the Office in the fields of prosthetics and orthotics, driven by equipping its production units with modern equipment. These improvements have made it possible to enhance product quality while reducing manufacturing and delivery times. He also emphasized efforts to modernize the Office’s infrastructure, bring services closer to users with specific needs, and simplify administrative procedures.
Among the most important projects being pursued by the Office is the creation of a prosthetics center for children.
This center is expected to provide care for approximately 3,000 children per year.
The project aims to offer specialized support tailored to children, given their rapid growth. It also seeks to provide appropriate reception conditions, including an area set aside to support children psychologically during the procedure, as well as a play area.
Concurrently, other projects are under preparation, including the creation of a digital database for users of the institution’s products; this will serve as a data bank to support the development of prospective programs concerning needs related to artificial limbs and their accessories.
The Director General further stated that the Institute intends to digitize the process of taking measurements for the manufacture and installation of prostheses. This initiative will ensure greater precision, reduce processing time, and improve production efficiency. The Office has also begun local manufacturing of manual wheelchairs.
In addition, further modernization measures are being implemented across the Office’s facilities nationwide. These efforts include the launch of a training academy in the wilaya of Constantine, aimed at qualifying workers and improving their technical skills in the fabrication and assembly of prostheses.
In the same context, Mr. Mohamed Mouidi announced the launch of the digital platform “Amelouna” last January. Through this platform, users can schedule appointments remotely, thereby reducing the burden associated with travel.
