AO Alliance

We are a development nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the care of people with musculosk

The AO Alliance Foundation is the most ambitious expression so far of a determination to reduce trauma morbidity and mortality in low-income countries by encouraging and supporting best practices in patient care and the uptake of appropriate trauma and orthopedic operative and nonoperative principles. Looking back at the milestones on the road to the AO Alliance Foundation it can be seen that reaching this level of commitment was almost inevitable.

11/11/2025

The Ethiopian Society of Orthopedics & Traumatology (ESOT) held its 18th Annual Scientific Conference on October 18–19, 2025 in Addis Ababa. The event was officially opened by ESOT President Ephrem Gebrehana. Ethiopia’s Minister of Health, H.E. Dr Mekdes Daba, addressed the meeting, highlighting the government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen trauma and orthopedic services nationwide.

The conference began with a joint symposium organized by ESOT and the AO Alliance, focusing on collaboration between traditional bonesetters and modern orthopedic practitioners. Presentations included Joseph Mwanga’s introduction to AO Alliance programs in English-speaking Africa, Claude Martin Jr challenged assumptions and presented approaches to engaging traditional bonesetters, Dominic Konadu-Yeboah shared Ghana’s collaboration model between hospitals and bonesetters, Nkaina Walter discussed Tanzania’s experience, and Mengistu G. Mengesha spoke about Ethiopia’s BOSAD initiative to improve public awareness and define bonesetter scope-of-practice. The session concluded with a panel discussion on integrating traditional and modern practices to improve patient safety.

A clinical research workshop was also held, focusing on building research capacity in Ethiopia and the region. Mengistu G. Mengesha discussed strategies for impactful local research; Jim Harrison provided an overview of Africa’s orthopedic research landscape; and Raju Vaishya demystified writing and publishing. Participants also explored plans for future national multicenter studies.

During the closing session, ESOT presented two major awards. Mengistu G. Mengesha received the Best Abstract Paper Award for the STOPUS randomized clinical trial on pediatric elbow injuries—a nod to locally led, practice-changing inquiry. Claude Martin Jr, Managing Director of AO Alliance, received ESOT’s Highest Merit Award in recognition of a decade of contributions to education, research, and system strengthening in trauma and orthopedic care across the region.

Photos:
1. H.E. Dr Mekdes Daba, Ethiopia’s Minister of Health
2. ESOT President Ephrem Gebrehana
3. Mengistu G. Mengesha receiving the Best Abstract Presentation Award
4. Claude Martin Jr receiving the ESOT Highest Merit Award
5. Mengistu G. Mengesha

07/11/2025

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. Learn how to safely use the C-Arm technology for managing ankle fractures in the operating room. This 1-hour course has been specifically designed to train healthcare workers using a C-arm in low-resource settings.

The course is provided by the AO Alliance, sponsored by Siemens Healthineers, and coordinated by the Global Surgery Foundation.

Register here: https://ow.ly/cU8b50Xkbtg

06/11/2025

The AO Alliance advanced course—using the AOTrauma Approved Curriculum—was held in Bangkok, bringing together 60 orthopedic surgeons from across Asia.

This advanced program combined group discussions, practical exercises, and evidence-based lectures to address the management of complex injuries. Under the guidance of faculty from Thailand, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Vietnam, participants were able to put theory to practice using artificial limbs.

The course was chaired by former AO Alliance Board Member and AO Past President Suthorn Bavonratanavech, pictured above, whose leadership ensured the success of the event.

05/11/2025

This live webinar by Operation Smile Academy on Tuesday November 25 will help participants craft compelling CVs and professional bios while developing the confidence to introduce themselves effectively in conferences, interviews, and networking spaces. Through practical exercises and storytelling techniques, participants will learn how to present their journey, achievements, and professional identity with clarity and impact.

Register here: https://live.operationsmileacademy.org/register/87448569773?lang=en

If you would like your CV reviewed during the live session, please email it to: womeninmedicine@operationsmile.org along with 2-3 areas you'd like feedback on. Please note reviews will take place during the live event, and participants should remove any personal information they don't wish to display. Not all CV's submitted will be selected.

What do I need to attend the webinar? A computer, tablet or smartphone with an Internet connection is required. A link to join the presentation will be sent by email after you register.

What if I cannot attend because of the time? If you register for the webinar, you will receive an email 24 hours later with a link to the recording whether you joined the webinar or not.

Who can attend? All health professionals are welcome to attend.

04/11/2025

C’est avec beaucoup d’émotion et de tristesse que l’AO Alliance et l’ensemble de la communauté AO Alliance d’Afrique annoncent le décès de Souna Badio Seyni, survenu le 12 octobre 2025, à la suite d’une courte maladie.

Souna Badio Seyni, responsable des activités de l’AO Alliance pour le Niger, a accompagné avec dévouement et passion l’aventure de l’AO Alliance en Afrique depuis son lancement en 2015.

Éminent praticien et membre statutaire du CAMES (Conseil africain et malgache pour l'enseignement supérieur), il a œuvré sans relâche pour la diffusion et la valorisation des enseignements de l’AO Alliance à travers l’Afrique francophone. Par son engagement, sa rigueur et son sens du partage, il a profondément marqué notre communauté et contribué à faire rayonner la mission de l’AO Alliance.

Avec sa disparition, l’AO Alliance perd un pilier, un collègue estimé et un ami respecté.
Nous adressons nos sincères condoléances à sa famille, à ses proches et à toutes les personnes ayant eu le privilège de travailler à ses côtés.

Son engagement restera un modèle pour toute la communauté AO Alliance.
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It is with deep regret that we announce the passing of Souna Badio Seyni on October 12, 2025, following a short illness.

Seyni served as the AO Alliance Country Representative for Niger and devoted himself to the AO Alliance’s activities in Africa since its establishment in 2015.

An eminent practitioner and statutory member of the African and Malagasy Council for Higher Education (CAMES), he made significant contributions to the development and dissemination of the AO Alliance’s educational programs across Francophone Africa. Through his professionalism, dedication, and collaborative spirit, he played an important role in strengthening the AO Alliance’s mission and presence in the region.

With his passing, the AO Alliance mourns the loss of a pillar of our organization, a distinguished colleague, and a respected friend. We extend our most sincere condolences to his family, his loved ones, and to all who had the privilege of working alongside him.

Souna Badio Seyni’s legacy of commitment and excellence will remain a lasting example for the AO Alliance community.

$The AO Alliance officially inaugurated its Togo headquarters in Lomé on September 21, 2025, to strengthen fracture care ...$

31/10/2025

The AO Alliance officially inaugurated its Togo headquarters in Lomé on September 21, 2025, to strengthen fracture care and training across the country. The event was attended by surgeons, faculty members, and partners. Leading the ceremony were Grégoire Anani Abalo, AO Alliance Togo Lead, Claude Martin Jr, Managing Director of the AO Alliance, and Jim Harrison, AO Alliance Africa Medical Advisor.

Delalom Kpegoh, AO Alliance faculty member and operating room nurse, underscored the organization’s commitment to standardizing patient care across the country. “Our objective is to ensure that when we are in front of a patient with a fracture, everyone — from Lomé to Cinkassé — is on the same page in managing the patient,” she said.

The AO Alliance has been active in Togo since 2017, focusing on capacity building and improving outcomes for patients suffering from musculoskeletal injuries. As part of its continued support, the AO Alliance donated surgical equipment to the Centre Hospitalier Régional (CHR) of Sokodé and the CHU Kara on September 23. The donation will enable the Sokodé hospital to treat up to 80% of trauma patients locally, reducing the need for referrals to other facilities.

Photos:
1. Jim Harrison, Grégoire Anani Abalo, Claude Martin Jr.
2. Office signage
3. Delalom Kpegoh
4. Grégoire Anani Abalo
5. Edem Agbitor

30/10/2025

Dar es Salaam hosted the first regional AO Alliance Course—Advanced Principles of Fracture Management in East Africa, using the AO Trauma–approved curriculum. Co-led by national course chairs Joseph Mwanga and Felix Mrita (Tanzania) with international course chair Carla Smith (USA), the course brought together Tanzanian and international faculty for collaborative teaching tailored to Tanzanian clinical realities. Sessions focused on decision-making, safe surgical techniques, and complication prevention, offering the 40 participants practical tools for immediate use. The event also strengthened regional faculty capacity through direct knowledge exchange.

22/09/2025

Ayesha Saeed spoke about the need for clinical research at the AO Alliance Trauma Summit in Accra, Ghana. The event brought together experts and advocates to discuss innovative approaches to trauma care in low-resources settings and how well-designed studies can improve patient outcomes. What are your thoughts on the role of clinical research in improving trauma care?

Dr. Ayesha Saeed - Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon

18/09/2025

Learn how to safely use the C-Arm technology for managing ANKLE FRACTURES in the operating room. Register here for FREE: https://ow.ly/fyEm50WYeJT. This course has been specifically designed to train healthcare professionals using a C-arm in low-resource settings.

17/09/2025

The first AO Alliance Trauma Summit (September 6–7, 2025) brought together surgeons, researchers, policymakers, and faculty from 29 countries across Africa and Asia to align on a single mission: make timely and appropriate fracture care the norm in low-resource settings. The Summit introduced a roadmap for implementing and auditing the ACTIONS Clinical Guidelines in partnership with COSECSA and WACS.

“The best surgeons have both practical experience and strong research skills. The AO Alliance is great at bridging the two by supporting young researchers and training orthopedic surgeons on essential research skills,” said Ayesha Saeed (Pakistan). Participants presented some clinical research papers: the Fracture Fixation Assessment Tool (FFAT) (Jim Harrison) for consistent quality review; early results from the STOPUS randomized clinical trial (Mengistu G. Mengesha) to inform decision-making in pediatric elbow fractures; and collaborative task-shifting evidence from Malawi (Leonard Banza) demonstrating how trained allied healthcare workers can safely expand access.

“Estimates are that there are 100,000 traditional bonesetters in Ghana. We have trained 500. There is still much work to be done,” said Dominic Konadu-Yeboah, setting the tone for the solutions-focused panel on the impacts of traditional bonesetting. Speakers noted that bonesetters are often the first point of care for the injured. The session emphasized trust building, collaboration, and patient safety rather than competition.

"Between tradition and modernity, it is not a question of choosing but of building bridges," stated Patrick Dakouré (Burkina Faso). Practical models discussed included referral pathways, shared red-flag criteria, communication training, and possibilities for community-level certification—respecting cultural trust while reducing preventable harm.

Breakout sessions translated the ACTIONS Clinical Guidelines into hospital-level plans covering implementation, audit and data capture, training priorities (including simulation and train-the-trainer approaches), and regional collaboration mechanisms. Facilitators Vivek Trikha, Stella Itungu, Leonard Banza, and Jim Harrison guided groups in defining roles, deadlines, and metrics.

The closing Summit Declaration reported by Stella Itungu, CEO of COSECSA and AO Alliance Board Member, outlined country commitments, timelines for roll-out, and a pledge to report audited outcomes—not just activities—at the next gathering.

Call to action: adopt the ACTIONS Clinical Guidelines now; embed routine audit using simple, shared tools; invest in locally adapted training; and collaborate with traditional healers to ensure patient safety from the first point of contact.

“Together, we pledge to turn guidelines into lives saved, limbs preserved, and futures restored.” Photos by Joshua Vada.

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/

Adresse

C/o Fiduciar Treuhand AG, Theaterweg 11
Davos Platz
7000

Webseite

http://ao-alliance.org/

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Our Story

We envision a world where timely and appropriate fracture care is accessible to everyone. Our mission is to reduce suffering, disability and poverty in low- and middle-income countries by enhancing the care of the injured.