The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO) World Congress 2015 will take place at the Lyon Convention Center, France, June 22-25. The local event partner is ISPO France; Leipziger Messe is organizing the parallel exhibition. Program sessions will address topics such as orthotics, pediatrics, geriatrics, therapeutic footwear, prosthetics, quality-of-life issues, rehabilitation medicine and surgery, seating and wheelchairs, and sports and physical activities, as well as building P&O in developing countries, adaptive technology in developing countries, education, and evidence-based practices.
The keynote speakers will include Malcolm MacLachlan, Jules Becher, and Jean Dubousset. MacLachlan is professor of global health (psychology) at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, and extraordinary professor of rehabilitation at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. His research interests include psychoprosthetics, disability rights and policy, and inclusive global health. Becher, a professor in rehabilitation medicine, with a specialization in pediatric rehabilitation, is an expert on central nervous movement disorders. Dubousset, emeritus professor at René Descartes University, Paris, France, has received various awards for his work, including work regarding 3D spinal correction and malignant tumors in children.
This year’s Knud Jansen Lecture will be given by Chapal Khasnabis, a technical officer with the World Health Organization (WHO). His lecture will reflect the concept behind Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology (GATE) and its relevance to the P&O sector, the international development goals, and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the common people. Khasnabis has been involved in P&O for more than 30 years, and led the Orthotics and Prosthetics Society of India (OPSI) for nearly two decades. In 2003 he began working at WHO, and has contributed to developing P&O training guidelines, wheelchair guidelines and training packages, community-based rehabilitation guidelines, and several other WHO documents related to disability and rehabilitation.
More than 3,000 congress delegates from more than 85 countries are expected to attend.
