The Inescop footwear technology center is participating in FootForward, a European Erasmus+ project that brings together Spain, Greece, Colombia, and Peru with a common goal: improving the prevention and care of diabetic foot in vulnerable communities in Latin America.
Diabetes is one of the chronic diseases with the greatest impact in Latin America, and diabetic foot remains one of the leading causes of avoidable amputation. The lack of specialized training and limited access to health resources hinder early detection and proper treatment, especially in the most vulnerable communities. FootForward was created to respond to this challenge through a comprehensive strategy that combines academic training, professional qualification, technology, and direct patient education, connecting European knowledge with the real needs of the healthcare systems in Colombia and Peru.
Technology and knowledge from Alicante for a global healthcare challenge
In this project, Inescop contributes its experience in the design and development of solutions applied to the foot, transferring knowledge from the footwear sector to the health and preventive fields. The contents include training on advanced technologies for the diagnosis and monitoring of diabetic foot, as well as criteria for the design and selection of personalized solutions aimed at preventing injuries and complications, with special attention to appropriate footwear as a preventive tool.
Thanks to its track record in applied research and technology transfer, Inescop contributes to the project’s educational offer having a very practical and multidisciplinary approach, where health, technology, and prevention go hand in hand. This participation also reinforces the role of the province of Alicante as a leader in innovation linked to footwear and foot health, projecting the work developed in Elda internationally.
Alliance between Inescop, UMH, and Latin American partners
FootForward also has the participation of the Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH), which joins from the university and research fields. The collaboration between Inescop and the UMH allows for the joining of complementary capacities—technology, research, training, and transfer—to promote sustainable and scalable results in prevention and healthcare.
The project, with a duration of 36 months, will train more than 120 healthcare and technology professionals, will directly benefit at least 200 patients through training actions in hospitals and clinics, and will develop a digital training platform that will expand access to content and guarantee the long-term sustainability of the results.
