Accessible orthopaedics in Ecuador

In Ecuador, many people that are in need of orthopaedic assistive equipment like prosthetics, orthotics and wheelchairs, are left uncared for. The main reasons for this are the lack of trained providers, and the lack of components for them to build with (due to low availability and high prices). The need is the most eminent in the coastal region (Manabí), and the 7.8 earthquake in 2016 revealed this need even more. This South Initiative project is a cooperation between the university in Manabí and the Flemish education of orthopaedics at Thomas More, together with an NGO-based orthopaedic centre in the Andes region of Ecuador. Together, we will establish a regional solution for the knowledge problem by providing training and workshop improvement in the orthopaedic centre in Manabí, and a first solution for the component problem by a cost-quality component investigation. Possible long-term country-wide solutions (starting up an orthopaedic education for Ecuador, and fabrication of low-cost components) will also be explored in this project, with a future TEAM proposal in mind.