Oumie rarely has the need to leave The Gambia, and now she is flying thousands of miles to Cambodia. She has been inducted into the Exceed Worldwide’s Department of Prosthetics and Orthotics in Phnom Penh to further her skills in prosthetic technology. But why does STAND send Oumie and other prosthetic staff all the way to Cambodia for this, and why isn’t there somewhere closer to train prosthetists? 

Barriers to skills

One significant barrier to the development of prosthetic and orthotic services in West Africa is the lack of national training programmes. In West Africa, there is only one programme that is accredited by the International Society of Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO), which is in Togo and it is taught in French. As gaining ISPO accreditation requires travelling far, students from low-resourced settings to access training find it impossible due to the high costs. 

Essential skills training

STAND funds students to travel for international training programmes, which are essential for allowing bright and dedicated students from low-resourced settings to access world-class training. 

It is important for training programmes to have the most utility for students in low-resource settings. They will learn how to make good quality prosthetic legs and give excellent care in places that don’t have consistent access to cutting edge technology or equipment. For example, it doesn’t make sense to make prosthetic legs using the most expensive technology for patients that can’t afford it.

The impact of one person

The Gambia is a small country, so it is likely one trained prosthetist or technician graduate, like Oumie, will take on a significant role in the national prosthetic and orthotic services. 

Therefore it is vital their training is the best, which then sets standards of best practice. They will also likely be in the role for years to come, which makes it one of the most long term investment strategies into The Gambia’s prosthetic care system.

Oumie’s journey

Oumie Jallow started her journey in prosthetics with a 3-month introductory bench worker course at the Tanzania Training Centre for Orthopedic Technologists. Oumie has been enrolled in the Prosthetic Orthotic Technician Certificate, which gives a one year intensive introductory training covering a member of staff who fabricates devices but does not work directly with patients. 

When she returns, she’ll have experience of fabricating both prosthetic and orthotic devices in a dynamic environment which is participating in international research and demonstrating to the world how a country can build a national rehabilitation service that serves the whole population – from wealthy clients to poor rural farmers.

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