Lower limb amputation (LLA) is a significant health concern for older adults globally. Persons ages 65 and older have a 3.5-4.9 times higher rate of amputation, depending on the country surveyed, and incidence is expected to increase in the future. Evidence demonstrates strong potential for older adults with LLA to achieve functional ambulation status and community re-integration with sufficient prosthetic rehabilitation, a resource that is less available in some nations. Healthcare providers in less-resourced countries have identified a lack of sustainable partnerships to improve healthcare in their regions. Mission Gait Foundation’s (MGF) Walking Free (WF) project in the Solomon Islands demonstrates a sustainable and collaborative approach to prosthetic care implementation. This poster will describe the strategies employed to establish a permanent multidisciplinary prosthetic and orthotic (P&O) production and rehabilitation program at the Kilu’ufi Hospital in Malaita, Solomon Islands.
Description
WF signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Solomon Islands, (MHMS) to bring P&O care to the country. This was accomplished with a portable P&O container lab, a 12-meter shipping container, fully equipped with state-of-the-art equipment purchased by MGF. It was constructed in Richmond, Virginia, then shipped to Malaita. The Kilu’ufi Hospital supplied the foundation for the lab as well as utility hookups, and committed to ongoing administrative and professional oversight. MHMS provided governmental support, including funding for two citizens to attend prosthetist training with Mobility India in Bangalore, India, as well as funding for supplies on a continuous basis.
Summary of Use
The container lab provided immediate, fully equipped fabrication capacity. MGF has provided two follow up trips, one provided practical mentorship supporting initial prosthetic production, and a second focused on training and education of in-country physiotherapists, technicians, and prosthetist. Local certified staff have completed lower limb prosthetic fabrication and comprehensive rehabilitation for a “start-up average” of seven patients per month since the initiation of the lab. This project required three years to complete from the memorandum of understanding to full functioning of the lab because of delays during the COVID19 pandemic, however in the absence of this complication, it could be completed within 18 months, allowing time for prosthetist certification.
Importance to members
The use of portable container labs and strong local collaborations were shown to be effective strategies for capacity building in less resourced regions. The WF project in the Solomon Islands exemplifies how adaptability, cost-effectiveness, and community collaboration can foster long-term independence and productivity in prosthetic rehabilitation, particularly benefiting older adults who make up a significant portion of LLA cases.
References
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