Koalaa’s ‘easy-fit’ prosthetics support amputees in Gaza

Koalaa is proud to be one of two UK prosthetics companies who are supporting amputees through a special project, ‘Restoring Hope in Gaza’.

The initiative, a vision of His Majesty, King Abdullah II Jordan, is the result of a collaboration between the Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organisation and other key partners. The project was conceived and is being led by Life Science Network of the UK, with implementation by the Jordanian Royal Medical Services, and technical innovation brought by Koalaa, Amparo, Adapttech, and Hakeem.

Due to the ongoing conflict in the region, there is a significant need for prosthetics. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 94,000 people have been injured in the current conflict, with one in every 100 Gazans having a life-changing injury. 

More than 10 children per day, on average, lost limbs in the first three months of the conflict alone, according to Save the Children.

In tandem, local medical facilities are severely limited and under immense pressure, with only 16 out of 36 hospitals functional and a shortage of essential medical equipment.

Through ‘Restoring Hope’, and in a world-first approach, Mobile Amputee Support Units (MASUs) have been deployed in Gaza, equipped to rapidly fit prosthetic limbs with a specialised medical team from the Jordanian Royal Medical Services.

The MASU approach encompasses a number of unique technologies and innovative logistical approaches, which differentiate it from traditional prosthetic fittings.

Our Koalaa prosthetics are being supplied to those with below elbow limb differences, with lower limb prosthetics provided by Amparo.

As our prosthetics are suitable for all ages (including very young children) and quick and easy to fit, this has helped significantly reduce the waiting time for patients, who can be fitted with one in under an hour. 

The fabric-based design offers an immediate solution, also being suitable for use just hours post-amputation. Our prosthetics are available at a fraction of the cost of traditional prosthetics too, helping maximising the potential impact of available funding.

We’re very proud to be part of this initiative and working with all the other partners to aid independence for those impacted by the conflict in Gaza, while supporting them to adapt to life with a limb difference. 

BBC News coverage

To find out more, including to hear from individuals who have already been provided with prosthetics through the project, please visit: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c624zz6m1kvo

Support the project

If you would like to support the Restoring Hope in Gaza project, donations can be made by visiting - Restoring Hope Live in Action | LSN Ltd (lsngroup.org)

Koalaa’s Global Access team

Addressing the pressing need for affordable and comfortable prosthetics in conflict settings and lower- middle-income countries is the focus of our Global Access team. 

They are actively working with a growing number of clinical networks, NGOs and governments to help meet this need. One such project is in Sierra Leone, where Koalaa has been working with the government and other partners since 2021.

Find out more here: Global Access | Koalaa (yourkoalaa.com)