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Projects

In developing countries, 0.5% of the population need a prosthesis or orthosis but less than 13% of that number will be able to get one. People often assume that the way we help is by sending out to Africa surplus supplies of the components and materials we use in the UK – even second hand devices. We don’t because we are trying to help establish ongoing, sustainable and affordable prosthetic and orthotic services within these countries. On the recommendation of the World Health Organisation for developing countries, the in-country manufacturing system we use and promote in our projects is polypropylene technology.

where 500 miles operates in Africa

Malawi

500 miles has created two prosthetic and orthotic centres in Malawi in cooperation with and under the umbrella of the Malawi Ministry of Health (MoH).

The first 500 miles centre was in the grounds of Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in Lilongwe, the capital. These premises were built in 2008, replaced in 2010 and substantially refurbished in 2019 by a joint venture among the Lord Provost & International Office of Glasgow City Council, Glasgow City Building and 500 miles. In January 2024, 500 miles’ prosthetic and orthotic service in Lilongwe moved into the rehabilitation building of The Lion Institute of Orthopaedics and Neurosurgery (LION).

Managed and funded for MoH/KCH/LION by 500 miles, since opening in March 2009, this service has carried out approximately 16,000 patient fittings and it has well over 10,000 registered patients. It is available for referrals from all over the central region of Malawi.

The second 500 miles centre was built in the grounds of Mzuzu Central Hospital (MCH) in Mzuzu in the north of Malawi to serve the whole of the northern region of Malawi.  On 1st July 2021, 500 miles handed over administrative and fiscal responsibility for this centre to MCH. From when it opened to patients in November 2012 up to the handover, this centre had dispensed 5,182 prosthetic and orthotic devices to a register of 2,694 patients.

Zambia

Zambia is a vast country and high-level prosthetics and orthotics services are not available outside the largest towns. Poverty, disability itself, the huge distances, difficult terrain and lack of infrastructure all combine to make travel to these places more or less impossible for the majority.

From 2008 to 2019, 500 miles sponsored the international training of more than half of the qualified prosthetic and orthotic workforce in Zambia and from 2008 to 2024, the charity supported people in Zambia with disabilities who needed prosthetic and orthotic devices but who could not afford to pay for them.

From 2017 to 2024, 500 miles sponsored a low-level prosthetic and orthotic service at St Francis Hospital in Katete in Eastern Province.

Training

The long-term success of all of 500 miles’ projects has depended on us ensuring that there are sufficient, well-trained Malawian and Zambian prosthetists and orthotists to provide a high-quality service which is not dependent on ongoing expatriate support. Therefore, the key element of 500 miles’ input in both countries has been sponsorship of training. So far, 500 miles has sponsored 20 African technicians for 22 qualifications.

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