An innovative, business-led approach to the development of sustainable and affordable Prosthetic and Orthotics services in Myanmar, to expand the sector, support the inclusion of persons with disability and promote wider economic development.

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"The gap between Prosthetic and Orthotic (P&O) service need and availability is a major socio-economic challenge, as 80% of those who need P&O services cannot access them. Even though P&O treatment restores mobility and enables dependents to become contributors (i.e. taxpayers) by providing access to opportunities for education, training and employment, they are a low priority and innovation is needed to address the service gap in resource-constrained countries, like Myanmar.Over 400,000 people need P&O services in Myanmar. The country has one P&O School, established in 2015 by Exceed Worldwide to train local P&O professionals. There are 5 P&O clinics, two supported by Exceed and 3 by the Red Cross. These clinics collectively provide free services for some 5,000 patients per year, most of whom require lifelong care. The need to develop P&O training is equally clear, as Myanmar needs over 500 P&O professionals and the existing School can supply 15-18 graduates per year.Based on sector knowledge and experience, Exceed Social Enterprises (ESE), the other project partners and Exceed Worldwide believe that access to global supply chains and the introduction of commercial, more sophisticated P&O services alongside existing free services can transform this situation by introducing choice, creating a market, generating new income to expand the P&O sector and enabling many more people with disabilities to access life-altering services in new clinics.The Myanmar National Plan for Rehabilitation confirms Government's interest in private sector partnerships. The proposed feasibility study will draw upon ESE's experience with a similar initiative in Cambodia and will involve work with stakeholders to identify and address the technical, cultural, infrastructure, human, supply chain, financial, customer service and organisational issues and opportunities involved in moving to a demonstration project. In particular the study will develop business, implementation and execution plans and will assess the likely economic and social impact of a demonstration project and wider deployment of the proposed model.By generating new revenue through fair trade with clients who _choose_ a more sophisticated service, the project will contribute to more efficient funding of health systems, improved access to services, the creation of employment opportunities and the achievement of the goals of SDG 3\. By creating a new market, employment opportunities for P&O professionals and enabling more people with disabilities to access services which open the door to employment opportunities, the project supports the 'decent work and economic growth' objectives of SDG 8\."