AO Alliance

26/07/2025

🤝 Kobo Partner Services is providing technical support and data expertise to help advance the AO Alliance’s mission of achieving better health outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The AO Alliance is a nonprofit initiative led by orthopedic surgeons dedicated to strengthening fracture care in over 30 low- and middle-income countries. Their goal is to reduce suffering, disability, and poverty through programs that enhance local capacities to effectively treat orthopedic trauma and severe fractures.

To support the AO Alliance in their vital efforts, Kobo’s Partner Services Team developed a series of user-friendly audit forms and a custom data visualization dashboard to monitor compliance with Orthopedic Trauma Guidelines, enabling hospitals to systematically track fracture care and patient outcomes.

➡️ Learn more about the AO Alliance’s work to improve fracture care: https://ao-alliance.org/

23/04/2025

At the Nepal Orthopaedic Association annual conference (ORTHOCON) in Birgunj, Nepal, the AO Alliance hosted a panel on its traditional bonesetter programs in Ghana and Ethiopia. Led by Dominic Konadu-Yeboah (Ghana) and Mengistu Gebreyohanes (Ethiopia), the session showcased efforts to improve fracture care and prevent catastrophic complications. In Ghana, the focus is on training bonesetters in basic nonoperative fracture care, while in Ethiopia, the emphasis is on advocacy and complication prevention.

Dr Sanjeet Kumar Jha highlighted the AO Alliance’s work in Nepal, including training paramedics in nonoperative fracture care, strengthening referral systems, and developing an outreach program at two rural outposts in Province 2.

The event sparked strong interest in bonesetter-related issues and local capacity-building initiatives.

16/04/2025

Pediatric orthopedic specialists from across South Asia and the United States gathered in Kathmandu in March 2025 for an AO Alliance task force meeting to enhance the specialized two-day course on musculoskeletal pediatric infections for low-resource settings. Representatives from Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, India, and the United States shared their clinical experiences and knowledge, discussing challenges and solutions specific to their regions. The meeting focused on patient problems and curriculum development, integrating theoretical knowledge with practical skills that can be implemented with minimal resources.

"What makes this initiative special is how it addresses the specific needs we see daily in our hospitals—children suffering from preventable long-term disabilities due to delayed or inadequate treatment of bone and joint infections," said Dr Mohan Belthur from the US. By the end of the meeting, participants had outlined the framework for the course, aiming to provide healthcare workers with essential knowledge to improve patient outcomes.

11/04/2025

The AO Alliance continues to enhance trauma care in Togo with key contributions to medical infrastructure. Essential surgical equipment was donated to the trauma unit of the Centre Hospitalier Régional in Tsévié, marking the start of our initiative to support district hospitals. According to Professor Anani Abalo, AO Alliance Togo Country Initiative lead, road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death among young people aged 25 to 45, highlighting the urgent need for improved trauma care.

In addition to equipping CHR Tsévié, the AO Alliance also refurbished an operating theatre at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sylvanus Olympio (CHU-SO), pictured above.

04/04/2025

For Ethiopian nationals: Applications are now open for 2 fellowships in Orthopaedic Trauma at Ganga Hospital, Coimbatore, India for 12 months from September 2025.

-> Living allowance and airfare provided by ADFA.
-> Candidates must provide a letter of support from current employer (Director/Head of Department) and must return to that hospital.
-> Minimum 3 years post graduate experience.

Send your Letter of Interest, CV and letter of support to: teams@ausdocafrica.org by 30 April 2025.

17/03/2025

The Lilongwe Institute of Orthopaedics and Neurosurgery (LION) Hospital in Malawi has completed construction of its centre of excellence for education and clinical Research. This state-of-the-art facility is set to advance orthopedic and neurosurgical care in Malawi by fostering high-quality education, training, and innovation in clinical research. A key contributor to this achievement was the AO Alliance, which engaged the Christian Blind Mission Germany to secure a generous contribution toward the construction. Lilongwe Institute of Orthopaedics and Neurosurgery - LION

14/03/2025

The AO Alliance and the Malawi Orthopaedic Association (MOA) have solidified their longstanding partnership by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU), reinforcing efforts to enhance the country’s trauma care system. By working together, the organizations aim to improve the treatment of injury victims and reduce the prevalence of musculoskeletal disabilities, ultimately strengthening access to orthopedic care and ensuring better outcomes for patients across Malawi.

The MoU was officially signed in Blantyre on February 12, 2025 by Maureen Sabawo (left), MOA President, Maziko Matemba (centre), MOA Board Chairperson, and Claude Martin Jr. (right), Managing Director of AO Alliance.

12/03/2025

**A new direction for the AO Alliance in Malawi**

The Malawi Country Initiative has concluded, after 9 years of development and having reached its intended impact. Under the country initiative, an ambitious program tackling infrastructure, education, and clinical research, the number of trauma and orthopedic surgeons has doubled to 18. Over 130 orthopedic clinical officers have been trained to alleviate the burden of care on Malawi’s stressed trauma system. Two new operating rooms have been built at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre and fracture care equipment has been supplied to 26 district hospitals.

The AO Alliance will remain active in Malawi, as we will continue to deliver fracture care education for healthcare workers on the frontlines of caring for the injured.

28/02/2025

The results are in, the AO Alliance is booming! Take a look at our numbers: we have trained 50,000+ healthcare workers in 35 countries (Africa and Asia) in a mere 10 years. This is all thanks to our incredible network of surgeons and nurses on the frontlines of fracture care, our generous donors, and partners.

26/02/2025

L'AO Alliance est aussi active au Togo!

AO Alliance a fait le déplacement de la préfecture de Zio, pour faire un don d’équipement au service traumatologie du Centre hospitalier régional (CHR) Tsévié....

05/02/2025

*** NEW ONLINE COURSE ***

C-Arm intraoperative imaging is key to safer, more precise surgeries. Yet, many healthcare providers in limited-resource settings lack access to high-quality training in intraoperative imaging and radiation safety.

The new C-Arm imaging course bridges that gap by covering:
-> Radiation exposure risks & safety measures
-> Proper use of personal protective equipment
-> Practical steps to minimize radiation in the OR

Through this course, we aim at expanding training on intraoperative imaging where it currently is not accessible. ENROL HERE FOR FREE ---> https://rb.gy/cthh27

03/02/2025

**A message from Barbara Rigassi, Chair of the AO Alliance Board of Directors**

It is a great honor to step into the role of Chair of the AO Alliance Board of Directors, succeeding Rolf Jeker, whose vision and leadership has helped shape the organization into what it is today. I am deeply thankful to the Board for entrusting me with this opportunity.

As I take on this role, I am guided by a forward-looking perspective: Will my successor be able to say that we made a meaningful impact on AO Alliance’s progress? This question will shape my decisions and keep us focused on advancing AO Alliance’s mission.

Over the past two years, I have followed the incredible work of this organization. I have been consistently impressed by its solid foundation rooted in the communities it serves across sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, through a vast network of local healthcare workers.

Together, I believe we can continue to build on the successes of the AO Alliance, ensuring that every individual, no matter their means, has access to quality care for musculoskeletal injuries. I look forward to working with the Board, our partners, and supporting all of you to make this vision a reality.

Barbara Rigassi
Chair, AO Alliance Board of Directors