UNICEF To Launch Groundbreaking Project To 3D Print Prosthetics For War-injured Gaza Children
A groundbreaking project to 3D print prosthetic limbs for war-injured children in Gaza will be launched by UNICEF, thanks to funding from a New Zealand organisation.
Gaza currently has the highest number of child amputees per capita in the world. Over 23,000 children have sustained conflict-related injuries, and many thousands are facing disabilities and needing long-term rehabilitation.
Funding of more than quarter of a million dollars from a new collaboration between UNICEF Aotearoa and the Federated Islamic Association of New Zealand ( FIANZ) has allowed a pilot to launch with the planning of a production facility in Jordan to 'print' desperately needed prosthetics.
3D printed prosthetics cost around a sixth of the price of traditional prosthetics and can be made efficiently based on digital measurements taken using a smart phone. This helps solve the common issues of seriously injured children facing long and treacherous journeys to clinics to be assessed. They also allow for the fact that as children grow, they need new and updated components every six months. The project is intended to vastly improve efficiency and outcomes for children.
UNICEF is working with leading global prosthetics manufacturers, alongside hospital and physiotherapist teams in the region who will collaborate on the wrap-around services each affected child may need. Partnerships with existing hospitals and facilities will help UNICEF ensure children in Gaza are still reached despite incredibly difficult conditions at the border and the breaking of the previous ceasefire.
FIANZ president Ibrar Shaikh said the organisation has a focus on improving the lives of children, who are often the most affected by conflict.
"This project directly addresses the physical and emotional well-being of children, alongside providing a tangible way to restore hope and dignity," he said.
"The collaboration between a local organisation like FIANZ and a global entity like UNICEF demonstrates how even smaller organisations can contribute meaningfully to groundbreaking humanitarian efforts. This work serves as an inspiration for other organisations to strive beyond their perceived limitations, reinforcing the collective potential to create a more compassionate and just world".
UNICEF Aotearoa CEO Michelle Sharp said the funding collaboration was a leading example of the tangible change and impact that can be made for children.
"When organisations with a passion to help others, such as FIANZ, join with us - we can make incredible things happen to improve the lives of children who are enduring some of the toughest conditions imaginable," she said.
"This funding has meant a groundbreaking project has been able to launch which will go on to become a blueprint for the future as we aim to reach as many children in need as possible. We are honoured to build this relationship with FIANZ and look forward to seeing the outcomes we can achieve together".
UNICEF Aotearoa is running a Children of Gaza Crisis Appeal here: https://www.unicef.org.nz/appeals/children-of-gaza-crisis
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
an hour ago
- Scoop
Polio Vaccines Set To Arrive In PNG Next Week, Says Health Minister
Papua New Guinea's health minister, Elias Kapavore, says polio vaccines are set to arrive in the country next week. The World Health Organisation declared an outbreak of the disease in PNG last month. The Post Courier reported that as of 6 June, 48 cases of acute flaccid paralysis - a condition characterized by rapid onset of muscle weakness or paralysis, but not a disease in itself - had been reported across 11 provinces. Of these, 20 tested negatives for poliovirus, and 28 remain under investigation. Kapavore said the primary objective is to protect children from paralysis and prevent further virus transmission. Kapavore said vaccines are scheduled to arrive between 16 and 20 June. The estimated cost for two rounds of the vaccination campaign is 88 million kina (US$21.4m). So far, 74 million kina has been secured through the PNG and Australian governments and from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, as well as technical and logistical support from WHO and UNICEF, including the full cost of the nOPV2 vaccine supply. During the recent World Health Assembly in Geneva, Kapavore presented PNG's national statement, reaffirming its commitment to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and advocating for cross-border coordination, especially with Indonesia. "The genetic link to the Indonesian strain [of polio] highlights the urgency of strengthening biosecurity capacity at the Papua New Guinea-Indonesia border," he said. "We must scale up surveillance and immunisation at these points of entry through coordinated efforts by the Departments of Health, Agriculture, Defence, Immigrations and Border Security, to prevent future cross-border transmission of polio and other infectious diseases." He called upon every MP to actively support vaccination and awareness efforts in their constituencies. Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation has raised concern about comebacks of vaccine-preventable disease in east Asia and the Pacific. In the first months of 2025, countries like Cambodia, Mongolia, the Philippines and Vietnam have reported a sharp rise in measles cases compared with the same period last year. UNICEF regional director for East Asia and the Pacific, June Kunugi, said measles and polio are highly infectious. "And children are paying the price for gaps in coverage, delayed care, and misinformation. No child should suffer or die from a disease we know how to prevent."
RNZ News
9 hours ago
- RNZ News
Polio vaccines set to arrive in PNG next week, says health minister
Then-WHO regional director for the Pacific, Dr Shin Young-soo provides oral polio vaccine in Lae in Morobe in 2018. Photo: supplied Papua New Guinea's health minister, Elias Kapavore, says polio vaccines are set to arrive in the country next week. The World Health Organisation declared an outbreak of the disease in PNG last month. The Post Courier reported that as of 6 June, 48 cases of acute flaccid paralysis - a condition characterized by rapid onset of muscle weakness or paralysis, but not a disease in itself - had been reported across 11 provinces. Of these, 20 tested negatives for poliovirus, and 28 remain under investigation. Kapavore said the primary objective is to protect children from paralysis and prevent further virus transmission. Kapavore said vaccines are scheduled to arrive between 16 and 20 June. The estimated cost for two rounds of the vaccination campaign is 88 million kina (US$21.4m). So far, 74 million kina has been secured through the PNG and Australian governments and from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, as well as technical and logistical support from WHO and UNICEF, including the full cost of the nOPV2 vaccine supply. During the recent World Health Assembly in Geneva, Kapavore presented PNG's national statement, reaffirming its commitment to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and advocating for cross-border coordination, especially with Indonesia. "The genetic link to the Indonesian strain [of polio] highlights the urgency of strengthening biosecurity capacity at the Papua New Guinea-Indonesia border," he said. "We must scale up surveillance and immunisation at these points of entry through coordinated efforts by the Departments of Health, Agriculture, Defence, Immigrations and Border Security, to prevent future cross-border transmission of polio and other infectious diseases." He called upon every MP to actively support vaccination and awareness efforts in their constituencies. Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation has raised concern about comebacks of vaccine-preventable disease in east Asia and the Pacific. In the first months of 2025, countries like Cambodia, Mongolia, the Philippines and Vietnam have reported a sharp rise in measles cases compared with the same period last year. UNICEF regional director for East Asia and the Pacific, June Kunugi, said measles and polio are highly infectious. "And children are paying the price for gaps in coverage, delayed care, and misinformation. No child should suffer or die from a disease we know how to prevent."
Scoop
31-05-2025
- Scoop
Education Suffers Amid DR Congo Violence, WHO Greenlights RSV Vaccines, More Hurricanes Ahead For Haiti
According to UN Children's Fund, UNICEF, more than 290 schools have been damaged or destroyed in Ituri this year alone, bringing the total number of out-of-school children in the province to over 1.3 million. Protection crisis Between January and April 2025, a surge in violence displaced more than 100,000 people – half of them children. During this period, reported cases of abduction, maiming, sexual violence, and the recruitment and use of children by armed groups rose by 32 per cent compared to the same timeframe last year. John Adbor, UNICEF's representative in the DRC, referred to the situation as a 'protection crisis', stating: 'Violence and conflict are shattering children's right to learn – putting them at far greater risk of being recruited by armed groups, exploited, and abused.' 'The needs are immense, and our resources are not enough,' Mr. Adbor added, referring to UNICEF's emergency response in the region. With more than 1.8 million conflict-affected children now out of school across the DRC, UNICEF is prioritising mental health and psychosocial support through child-friendly spaces, reintegration of children formerly associated with armed groups, and treatment for acute malnutrition. WHO approves two new vaccines to protect infants from RSV Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of severe lung infections in young children globally, resulting in approximately 100,000 deaths each year among children under the age of five. Alarmingly, 97 per cent of these deaths occur in low and middle-income countries. Although RSV can infect people of all ages, 'it is especially harmful to infants, particularly those born prematurely,' said Kate O'Brien from the World Health Organization (WHO). Around half of all RSV-related deaths occur in babies younger than six months. New immunisation products On Friday, WHO issued recommendations for two new immunisation tools: a maternal vaccine, administered to pregnant women in their third trimester to protect their newborns; and a long-acting antibody injection for infants, which begins to protect within a week of administration and lasts for at least five months. Considering the global burden of severe RSV illness in infants, WHO recommends that all countries adopt either the maternal vaccine or the antibody injection as part of their national immunisation strategies. 'These RSV immunisation products can transform the fight against severe RSV disease, dramatically reduce hospitalisations and deaths, and ultimately save many infant lives worldwide,' said Ms O'Brien. Dire hurricane forecasts compound Haiti woes UN humanitarians have raised alarm over Haiti's heightened vulnerability to natural disasters, warning that the country's limited capacity to respond could be severely tested during the 2025 hurricane season – forecast to be significantly more intense than average across Latin America and the Caribbean. Running from June to November, the upcoming season poses a serious threat to the impoverished island nation, where economic crisis, ongoing gang-related violence and rampant insecurity have already displaced over one million people. Displacement sites at risk More than 200,000 people are currently living in displacement sites across the country, many of which are situated in flood-prone areas. Lacking proper shelter, drainage and sanitation, these camps 'leave families acutely vulnerable to storms,' said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is working with national authorities and humanitarian partners to prepare for the hurricane season. Ongoing efforts include contingency planning, mapping of high-risk areas – particularly displacement sites – and strengthening early warning systems. However, humanitarian access remains limited, and preparedness is severely hindered by the lack of pre-positioned supplies throughout the country. This is a 'direct consequence of underfunding,' said Mr. Dujarric, adding that 'funding remains a major obstacle' to the UN's emergency response in Haiti.
