DUBAI 4 June 2017: A Dubai resident, who lost her leg in an accident, has received the region’s first fully 3D printed prosthetic leg.
The 3D printed prosthetic leg was donated to Belinda Gatland, a British expat who has been an amputee for over 10 years.
The Dubai Health Authority (DHA), in partnership with Arab Health, a facilitated the creation and donation of the prosthetic device in conjunction with ProsFit (Bulgaria), Mecuris (Germany), and Mediclinic (UAE), said Wam.
Humaid Al Qatami, Chairman and Director-General of DHA, said, “DHA has prioritised fostering the development of future technologies such as 3D printing in healthcare.
“Our 3D printing strategy is in accordance with UAE’s 3D Printing Strategy. We are keen to bring in the latest technology in medicine to further bolster patient-centric care and improve the lives of our patients to the best extent possible. We consider the private sector to be our partner in our endeavours to further strengthen and develop the health sector of Dubai and such collaborative efforts go a long way in bringing modern excellence to the sector in the emirate,” he added.
Dr. Mohammad Al Redha, Director of the Executive Office for Organisational Transformation at DHA, said, “Such projects help us pave the way towards a more integrated and sustainable healthcare system, this is a truly unique collaboration that allows us to see the most modern technology emerge and become a reality. This is a learning curve for everyone engaged and part of the foundation of future 3D printing research and development work in the UAE. This initiative is part of the 3D Khair initiative, in line with the Year of Giving 2017.”
According to Pyotr Bakass, Sponsorship Manager of Informa Life Sciences Exhibitions, “This year, we partnered with the DHA to showcase the amassing potential that this technology has for the healthcare industry. Revealed at the Arab Health 2017, it was the region’s first custom prosthetic leg, especially designed and fully 3D printed in the DHA colours with a logo. It was created to inspire innovation and to illustrate what technology can achieve today.”
By Sheena Amos