Home / Traditional bonesetters: projects in Ghana and Ethiopia
Traditional bonesetters: projects in Ghana and Ethiopia
9 November 2020
Traditional Bone Setter (TBS) provide a significant proportion of primary fracture care in many sub-Saharan African countries, including many regions of Ghana and Ethiopia. Traditional bone setting has existed in Africa long before formal orthopedic medical care emerged. In sub-Saharan Africa, over 80 percent of people rely on medicinal plants and traditional medicines for their primary healthcare, including for fractures. Many patients are children, as primary caregivers decide for them the access to healthcare.
Two clinical research studies are underway in Ghana and Ethiopia to estimate the prevalence of catastrophic complications associated with traditional bone setting, to establish the feasibility of formal training of TBS and subsequent integration into the healthcare system. Both projects aim to reduce preventable catastrophic complications causing significant disabilities.
In Ghana, the project is under the leadership of Dr Dominic Yeboah at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi. The initiative in Ethiopia is led by Dr Mengistu Gebreyohanes in Hawassa. With his hospital peers, the Hawassa group have created an app called BOSAD (BOne Setter Associated Disability).
The vision for many sub-Saharan African countries where AO Alliance is active is the following: by 2030, the practices and complications of TBS for musculoskeletal injuries will be reduced by 50 percent throughout the countries.

BOSAD app in beta version development
Related News
Courses resume in Asia with first hybrid course in Cambodia
18 January 2021
We are pleased to announce the progressive return of our face-to-face courses in Asia, in countries where sanitary conditions allow i...A message from the board chair and managing director
28 December 2020
2020 has been an unusual year and it is no surprise that “pandemic” is the word of the year. COVID-19 has affected everyone and ...AO Alliance sponsors surgeons to attend AO Trauma Masters online co...
21 December 2020
Maintaining access to educational events for our network of healthcare workers has been a top priority for the AO Alliance during th...
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- ...
- 16
- »