Prosthetics and Orthotics - Motivation Australia

A group of five people stand outside. Four are wearing the same uniform, and one man is wearing a brightly coloured shirt. This man has a suitcase and backpack with him.

Expanding services and supporting students

Almah, in NOPS uniform and using a lower limb prosthesis, sits on a bench under a verandah with three other people who are all using walking aids and/or prosthetic lower limbs. All are smiling for the camera.

A long road to deliver services: Outreach in Papua New Guinea

Mosese fitting a below knee prosthesis with a service user. Both are wearing masks.

Fiji Prosthetic and Orthotic Service Review

9 people, some sitting and some standing, are outside in the shade smiling at the camera. One man is using a wheelchair and a woman in the centre is using a lower-limb prosthesis.

Travelling land and sea: Outreach in Papua New Guinea

Pacific profiles: Almah Kuambu

Violet stands in colourful shirt and shorts, using crutches to help her stand with her first prosthesis. Her mother sits behind her. Both are smiling brightly.

First prosthesis brings new opportunities

3D printing prosthetic & orthotic devices

A man using a new wheelchair sits outside in the shade of green plants, he smiles widely and gives a big thumbs up to the camera.

Remote communities reached in PNG highlands

The township of Kompiam is located in the beautiful, extremely remote PNG highlands. Due to the high costs associated to get there, including flights for staff and boat transport for equipment (you cannot drive due to the dense jungle), NOPS…

A woman with a prosthetic leg uses parallel bars to help her walk. A man in a colourful apron watches from the side.

Expanding rehabilitation possibilities in Tonga

In early February MA’s Lee Brentnall visited the team at the Tonga Rehabilitation Department. It was an exciting visit as the building has now been opened for eight months, the team are all settled in and services are up and…

Pacific Profiles: Martha Schaumkel

We are excited to share that Martha Schaumkel is on her way to Bangalore, India to study to become the first female Tongan Prosthetist/Orthotist .She follows in the footsteps of her Mother, Salote, who paved the way for female scholars…

A photo of the outside of the building, with a decorated post in the foreground. It is wrapped with palm fronds and tied with balloons for the opening ceremony.

Opening of the Tonga rehabilitation department

On Friday 14th June 2019, Honourable Dr Saia Maú Piukala, Minister for Health & Public Enterprises and Ms Rhona Mcphee Deputy Australian High Commissioner officially opened the rehabilitation department at Vaiola Hospital. The completion of the renovation of the former…

Service mentoring in Solomon Islands

In February Motivation Australia’s Katrina McGrath spent some time in the Solomon Islands where she worked with the Prosthetic and Orthotic graduates recently returned from Mobility India and Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) personnel. Katrina spent time with Lower Limb Prosthetist…

Tongan orthotist and Australian prosthetist orthotist review a client who is wearing an AFO - Ankle foot orthosis.

Updates from Tonga

The MA team were recently in Tonga to continue work on the Rehabilitation and Mobility project. So many exciting things have happened in Tonga over the last month! Tonga now has its first ever lower limb prosthestist and lower limb…

TRS technical trainer Tebakaro demonstrating the adjustment of a backrest during the basic wheelchair training in Vanuatu.

Pacific profile: Tebakaro – From trainee to trainer

Prosthetic, orthotic and wheelchair technician Tebakaro Aata has worked at the Tungaru Rehabilitation Services (TRS) in Kiribati for over 10 years. Tebakaro was working as a seaman in 2001 when he was involved in a motor accident that resulted in…

Two Samoan staff adjusting a the knee of a prostheses

Project success in Samoa!

It’s amazing how quickly four years goes by. Motivation Australia is thrilled to have recently completed the Samoa Integrated Mobility Device Service (SIMDES) project which started in 2014. It seems like yesterday that the Samoan National Health Service, Nuanua o…

A man in a red t-shirt and cap is sitting on a treatment table; he has a right below knee amputation. A lady in a white coat is fitting a liner to his stump, next to him we can see a prosthetic device ready to be fitted, on the floor.

National services in PNG

For over 20 years the National Orthotic and Prosthetic Service (NOPS) has improved the function and mobility of many clients through the provision of orthotic, prosthetic, wheelchair and walking aid services to clients with mobility disabilities. With the on-going risk…

Issues with donated P&O products

Custom made devices In order to make sure that forces are properly distributed onto a client’s limb or body part, biomechanical principles are applied when measuring and designing orthoses or prosthetic sockets (the moulded interface between the prosthesis and the…

Diabetic Foot Clinic nurse talking to UniSA's Podiatry lecturer.

Kiribati in country visit

Motivation Australia’s recent work in Kiribati has been across two projects; the Pacific Mobility Device Service (MDS) Project, and the Kiribati Amputation Prevention (KAP) Project. In February, Katrina McGrath was able to visit partners in Kiribati for: The final KAP…

A woman learning to use her prosthetic leg walking outside her house, supported by one of the MDS staff members.

Review of Samoa’s Prosthetics and Orthotics components and materials

In October Motivation Australia’s Lee and Katrina visited Samoa to undertake a rapid review of the prosthetic and orthotic components and materials that had been procured for the Mobility Device Service (MDS) as part of the Samoa Integrated Mobility Device…

Kiribati support visit

In September this year Motivation Australia (MA) visited Kiribati to work with the Tungaru Rehabilitation Service (TRS) and Tungaru Central Hospital’s Diabetic Foot Clinic (DFC). MA worked with TRS to introduce and implement a new data system within TRS. This…