The European Union, Gambian and British charity STAND, and other partners have launched a pilot project in The Gambia that uses advanced 3D scanning and printing technology to manufacture prosthetic legs, aiming to provide faster, cheaper, and more accurate prosthetics for amputees in West Africa. The initiative, announced on 18 June 2026 by the EU Delegation to The Gambia, seeks to create a scalable blueprint for decentralized healthcare, enabling technicians to scan amputees in remote villages, transmit data to a central printing hub, and deliver custom legs directly to patients' homes.
Ambassador of the EU to The Gambia, H.E. Imma Roca i Cortés, stated that the EU is happy to support this pioneering initiative combining innovation, local ownership, and international partnership, adding that it lays the foundation for a more inclusive system bringing quality care closer to home. Tom Williams OBE, founder of STAND, said the project empowers Gambians to manufacture high-quality components and harnesses mobile scanning technology to bring care to rural amputees. Martin Norman, Deputy High Commissioner at the British High Commission Banjul, noted that cutting-edge 3D printing expands access to high-quality prosthetic care.
The pilot relies on collaboration among The Gambia's National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC), which leads patient selection and fittings; the Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia (MRCG), hosting 3D printers and managing fabrication; the EU, co-financing the initiative as part of a broader healthcare programme; and the University of Southampton and 3D Lab Radboud, providing research oversight, AI-driven software, and technical training. The project addresses the challenge that millions of amputees across Africa lack access to prosthetic limbs, and traditional manufacturing methods are highly sensitive to error, often causing pain and abandonment of prostheses. The digital solution eliminates human error, reduces fabrication times, lowers costs, and removes the need for hazardous chemicals.
Stakeholders impacted include amputees in The Gambia and West Africa, who stand to gain improved access to affordable, custom prosthetics, restoring mobility and dignity. The Gambian healthcare system benefits from capacity building and decentralized service delivery, reducing the burden on central facilities. The EU and UK partners demonstrate a model for international development cooperation, potentially scaling to other regions. Local technicians and manufacturers gain new skills and economic opportunities, though the pilot's success depends on sustained funding and technical support. The initiative represents a shift from traditional, error-prone methods to digital, precision manufacturing, with trade-offs between upfront investment in technology and long-term savings in production costs and patient outcomes.
← Atlas › News › Development & Humanitarian Aid