In Ethiopia, people in remote regions may walk 150 kilometres to their nearest hospital. Local clinics also exist in some areas, but they are often too poorly equipped, and too run down, to give reliable care.

Meanwhile, in the UK, many health facilities are routinely upgraded as medical establishments reach for new technologies or replace equipment as a matter of course. As a rule, the superseded equipment has been kept operational and, if properly checked, can bring significant help to people in need, even if not the latest model available on the UK medical scene.  When, therefore, Global Hand received an offer with a wide range of medical items, we were delighted to see them go to a partner group with expertise to check them out and see them meet medical need in Ethiopia.