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Netherlands-based non-profit 3D Sierra Leone has been nominated for an award by the World Health Organization (WHO) in recognition of its work in 3D printing prosthetics for the West African nation’s amputees.

For nearly four years now, the group has used 3D printing alongside scanning gear provided by SHINING 3D to produce prosthetics for amputees in the country without access to postoperative care. In recognition of these efforts, the organization has been shortlisted for the WHO’s Special Prize on Health Innovation, which celebrates those projects that seek to benefit the wellbeing of people around the world.

As previously reported by 3D Printing Industry in 2020, Sierra Leone is a country whose healthcare system remains unable to deal with the wounds caused by traffic accidents or infections, thus it continues to see a large number of amputations. The nation’s lack…

The global need for affordable medical aids is a pressing issue, especially in low- and middle-income countries like Sierra Leone where amputations often occur due to serious infections, complex wounds, traffic accidents, and a delayed patient presentation to the hospital. Despite this, purchasing a prosthesis is still beyond reach for most Sierra Leonean amputees.

In 2018, a team of pioneers established a pilot 3D lab at the Masanga Hospital in Sierra Leone to investigate the potential of 3D technology in addressing this need. The current measurement of the residual limb and the production of the socket of prostheses are performed manually using plaster molds, making the socket shape highly dependent on the experience and skills of the prosthetist and difficult to ensure quality. The 3D lab…