3D-printing allows for faster, lighter, more affordable, and highly customized prosthetic production, and the technology can help patients regain mobility when traditional rehabilitation services are limited, such as in conflict zones, according to an article posted on 8 December by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
“When combined with holistic rehabilitation, 3D-printed prostheses can help patients regain strength, confidence, and independence,” noted the WEF, an international advocacy nongovernmental organization and think tank based in Cologny, Switzerland.
The global charity Humanity & Inclusion estimates that over 123,000 people have been injured since the escalation of the conflict in Gaza in October 2023, including more than 4,000 people who have lost limbs. Around 6,000 prosthetic devices are now needed in the area, many of them for children, the WEF article pointed out.
A smartphone is used to take an image for a 3D-printed prosthesis.3DP4ME; Omar Al-Khalidi
“Gaza now has the highest number of child amputees per capita in the world,” the WEF stated. “When children are fitted with a prosthesis, they need ongoing support to maintain and change their prosthetics as they grow. However, access to this type of specialized care is almost impossible in a conflict zone like Gaza.”
The need for prosthetics is also immense in Syria. Humanity & Inclusion estimates there have been 86,000 amputations in Syria since the start of the war there in 2011. Thousands of these amputees have no access to prosthetic limbs or ongoing rehabilitation due to insufficient services, lack of funding, and destruction of infrastructure, the article noted.
The constant threat of unexploded ordnance (UXO, i.e., explosive weapons that were primed, fused, or armed but failed to detonate when they were used during an armed conflict or were left behind, buried, or dumped) only adds to the urgency in Syria. UXO continues to cause hundreds of civilian deaths, even with a gradual decline in incidents recently, according to the WEF.
“For many people living in regions that are scarred by ongoing conflict, getting the chance to walk again and reclaim independence following an injury remains out of reach due to a lack of access to essential rehabilitation services,” it noted. “But 3D-printed prostheses could bring back mobility and hope to those in need. This technology can bridge critical healthcare gaps because scanning and design can take place remotely, meaning distance is no longer a barrier to healthcare.”
By transforming the way prostheses are designed and produced, 3D printing makes them more accessible, affordable, and customizable than ever before. Instead of relying on lengthy, labor-intensive fabrication, a digital scan of a patient’s limb can be captured with a smartphone and converted into a precise design ready for printing, the WEF explained.
“One of the biggest wins with custom 3D-printed prosthetics is speed,” said Brent Wright, a certified prosthetist and orthotist at LifeNabled, another non-profit organization that provides prosthetic solutions to underserved communities. “What once took weeks of moulding and adjustment can now be done in days. That means less downtime, less discomfort, and faster return to mobility.”
This process not only reduces costs and production time but also enables a tailored fit that improves comfort and functionality. With local manufacturing and rapid adjustments, 3D printing is creating new possibilities for patients in conflict
Abduljabbar, who lives in Idlib, Syria, plays football with his new 3D-printed below-the-knee prosthetic.3DP4ME; Omar Al-Khalidi
In Syria, for example, 3DP4ME (the WEF’s own nonprofit organization) has fitted 13 children with 3D-printed prostheses after they lost limbs due to mine explosions and missile attacks. Another successful pilot scheme in Jordan has also provided children with below-the-knee prostheses, bringing the total number of patients 3DP4ME has fitted with 3D-printed prostheses to 25 so far.
Funding for 3D-printed prostheses
Through a partnership with Common Good Marketplace (CGM), 3DP4ME is developing a new funding model for scaling access to prosthetics and hearing aids by linking every verified outcome to a tradeable “impact asset.” These outcomes will be listed as “verified impact assets” on the exchange, enabling funders to finance proven results rather than intentions, the WEF article stated.
The goal is to create a clear evidence base that helps organizations and funders measure and show results, and this means collecting data from beneficiaries and tracking changes in key indicators using CGM tools, such as surveys. Transparency is important, so these impact reports will be standardized with shared terms and clear indicators, it added.
“This use of innovative finance could unlock new capital flows for inclusive, evidence-based health innovation around the world,” the WEF concluded. “From personalized prosthetic devices that enhance mobility and independence, to locally produced solutions that meet critical needs, innovations such as 3D printing, robotics, and AI could help to shape a healthcare future that is more accessible and equitable.
You can read the World Economic Forum article here.
