This workshop in Lusaka is part of the Zambian Italian Orthopaedic Hospital (ZIOH) which is an independent charitable institution dedicated to the needs of disabled children in Zambia. It was founded in 1995 by visiting Italian surgeons in co-operation with Cheshire Homes. It serves all comers now but free treatment is only provided to disabled children. The hospital and the workshop are administered on a voluntary basis by the Franciscan Sisters Congregation. (See www.orthoped.org.zm)

Building the workshop's capacity

When 500 miles first visited the workshop it was manned by just two technicians, Isaac Zyambo and Patrick Mwila, but they were producing a wide range of high quality prostheses and orthoses - using internationally recommended polypropylene technology. 500 miles has paid for Isaac to go for a year's training at a college for orthopaedic technology in Tanzania called TATCOT. Patrick started the three year Diploma course at TATCOT in October 2009.  Partly to provide cover for Isaac and now Patrick and partly to increase the workshop's manpower in the longer term, since May 2008, 500 miles has also been paying the salary of an additional, well qualified member of the team called Andrew Musonda and from July 2009, that of a new bench worker called Sarah Shitindi. 500 miles wants to continue to build the capacity of the ZIOH workshop through staff expansion and an ongoing training programme so that it is able to serve greater numbers of disabled people.

Creating and sustaining the workshop's business

ZIOH charges those who can afford to pay for its products. If it can increase its turnover, there is a real prospect of the workshop becoming substantially self sustaining, whilst still providing free devices for children and the very poor. We recognise that the vast majority of the population cannot afford to buy prostheses and orthoses and so 500 miles is funding and part-funding the purchase of devices for the disabled using 500 miles' One Smile giving programme which you can join by following the link.

Working with FlySpec

Since May 2008, the workshop's order book has been significantly increased by the workshop operating in conjunction with FlySpec - also supported by 500 miles. Through FlySpec, ZIOH's prosthetic and orthotic service is being flown into remote rural communities all over Zambia. This kind of outreach is not recommended for prosthetics and orthotics so FlySpec is being cautious about it, following up on patients and carefully recording the results.  We will adapt our practice as we discover what is most effective.  We are currently treating an average of 7-8 remote patients per month.

Support from ICRC SFD

In 2009 the International Committee of the Red Cross's Special Fund for the Disabled bega n to support the workshop at ZIOH with a supply of materials and components. ZIOH is not allowed to charge for these items but this support will further increase the output of the workshop.