Advocating for the injured patient
The AO Alliance continues to advocate for improved care for trauma and injury victims in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in Africa and Asia, contributing to international forums that champion change.
On June 11-12, 2024, the AO Alliance joined the WHO Global Alliance for Care of the Injured (GACI) at its annual meeting in Geneva, Switzerland. The event centered on World Health Assembly Resolution 76.2 on “emergency, critical and operative care” (ECO), recognizing that robust ECO services are essential to the ability of national health systems to respond effectively to emergencies and injuries. They are also integral to achieving Universal Health Coverage under the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The AO Alliance and other members were invited to take part in the development of the strategic and implementation plans of the ECO resolution. This resolution marks a significant step towards global recognition of the important, yet often overlooked, issue of injuries and access to care, underscoring the need for its inclusion in national public health agendas worldwide.
Dr Claude Martin Jr, AO Alliance Managing Director, gave the keynote lecture at the Annual General Meeting of the Ethiopian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (ESOT) on June 7-8, 2024 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The meeting covered a variety of topics, from the prevalence of traditional bonesetting practices to robotic total knee replacement techniques. Dr Martin’s lecture, titled The Impact of Musculoskeletal Injuries in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), shed more light on the widespread lack of access to timely and appropriate injury care and proposed a systems based approach to dealing with the rising burden of injuries.
At the 14th Best Medical Practices Forum on June 16-18, 2024, in Arusha, Tanzania, the resolution to adopt the AO Alliance/COSECSA clinical guidelines for three of the most common fractures was adopted by both the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC) and the health ministers of nine Sub-Saharan countries in attendance. The guidelines for closed femoral shaft fractures, closed ankle fractures, and open tibia shaft fractures, adapted to LMICs, will advance and streamline care of the injured, leading to improved patient outcomes and cost-effectiveness for health systems in LMICs. The AO Alliance would like to acknowledge the College of Surgeons of East, Central, and Southern Africa (COSECSA) and its CEO, Stella Itungu, for their support and commitment to getting the guidelines adopted. Click here for the guidelines.
The AO Alliance’s active participation in such key events exemplifies its dedication to improving care of the injured in LMICs by advocating for systemic changes and fostering collaborations to ensure better health outcomes for all.
Stella Itungu (COSECSA CEO) and Dr Claude Martin Jr (AO Alliance Managing Director). Arusha, Tanzania. June 2024.
A presentation slide from the WHO Global Alliance for Care of the Injured (GACI) meeting. Geneva, Switzerland. June 2024.
Lewam Mebrahtu (AO Alliance), Dr Claude Martin Jr, (AO Alliance), Dr Mengistu Gebreyohanes, (spine surgeon from Hawassa), and Dr Jim Harrison (AO Alliance) at the AO Alliance booth during the ESOT meeting. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. June 2024.