Samoa Integrated Mobility Device Service project

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 group selfie shows 5 women and two men smiling at the camera. The nurses are wearing scrubs. Nalini and Katrina are holding gifts including lavalavas, fans, and flowers.

Diabetic foot care training for community nurses in Samoa

Diabetes and its complications are a large and ever-growing burden within the Pacific Islands. Polynesia and Micronesia have the world’s highest age-standardised diabetes prevalence rate of over 25%, with Melanesia not far behind at 15%¹.  With this high prevalence of…
Podiatrist and nurse dressing diabetic foot ulcer

Case study: Diabetic Foot Care in Samoa

The situation: diabetic foot ulcers were leading to high rates of amputation Pacific Islands account for eight of the top ten in the world for diabetes prevalence. In 2014 Polynesia and Micronesia had the world’s highest age-standardised diabetes prevalence rate…
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…

Service Provision Training: Basic level

Motivation Australia’s six week wheelchair and walking aid training course is in its final week; the Level 2 Service Provision training course has focused on the knowledge and skills required to provide basic level wheelchairs and walking aids for adults with a mobility disability. 16 trainees from…