A prosthetics and rehabilitation center supported by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre has served 7,677 beneficiaries in Marib, Yemen, according to a new report from the Saudi Press Agency.
The project forms part of Saudi Arabia’s continuing humanitarian health support for Yemen, where years of conflict, displacement and economic pressure have increased the need for prosthetic limbs, orthotic care, physiotherapy and long-term rehabilitation services.
The Saudi Press Agency reported that the Marib project has provided services to people who have lost limbs, while also creating 47 jobs for local personnel involved in implementation.
For the prosthetics and orthotics sector, the announcement highlights an important point: humanitarian rehabilitation is not only about fitting devices. It is also about building local capacity, supporting employment and maintaining continuity of care for people with long-term mobility needs.
Why Marib Needs Sustained Rehabilitation Support
Marib has received large numbers of internally displaced people during Yemen’s conflict. Many people requiring rehabilitation may be living far from their original homes, without stable income, family support, transport access or regular healthcare.
For amputees and people with physical disabilities, these conditions make rehabilitation more difficult. A prosthetic limb may require repeated appointments, socket adjustments, gait training, repairs and follow-up. Physiotherapy may be needed over weeks or months. Some patients may also require psychological and social support as they adapt to life after limb loss.
In a humanitarian setting, the challenge is not simply to deliver a device once. The challenge is to create a pathway that allows people to regain function and remain mobile over time.
This is why the continued operation of prosthetics and rehabilitation centers in Yemen remains so important.
Prosthetics, Physiotherapy and Specialist Consultations
The Marib center provides a combination of services that are essential for amputee rehabilitation. These include prosthetic support, rehabilitation, physiotherapy and specialist consultations.
This multidisciplinary model matters because a prosthesis alone does not guarantee mobility.
A patient may need:
- Assessment of residual limb condition
- Measurement, casting or scanning
- Prosthetic design and fabrication
- Socket fitting and alignment
- Gait training
- Physiotherapy
- Skin and pressure monitoring
- Follow-up adjustments
- Repair and maintenance
- Replacement planning as the limb or device changes
For people who have lost limbs because of trauma, conflict, infection, diabetes or other causes, rehabilitation is a long-term process. The most effective services combine technical prosthetic care with therapy and clinical follow-up.
Local Jobs Are Part of Rehabilitation Capacity
One of the most significant details in the SPA report is that the project created 47 jobs for local personnel.
This matters because sustainable prosthetic and orthotic care depends on local capacity. International support can provide funding, equipment and technical assistance, but long-term impact depends on trained local professionals and service teams.
Local employment can support:
- Continuity of care
- Patient communication
- Cultural and language understanding
- Workshop operation
- Administrative follow-up
- Repairs and maintenance
- Community trust
- Professional development
For humanitarian rehabilitation projects, local workforce development should be viewed as a core outcome, not a secondary benefit.
A Wider Lesson for Humanitarian P&O
The Marib center reflects a wider shift in humanitarian prosthetics and orthotics. The sector is moving away from short-term outreach models and toward more structured service delivery.
In crisis-affected countries, amputees and people with physical disabilities need ongoing access to care. Children outgrow devices. Adults may need new sockets as their residual limbs change. Components wear out. Skin problems, pain and gait issues may emerge over time.
This means humanitarian P&O programmes should be designed around follow-up, repair, training and sustainability.
Important elements include:
- Local workshop infrastructure
- Reliable component supply
- Qualified prosthetists and orthotists
- Rehabilitation therapists
- Clear referral pathways
- Patient records and outcome tracking
- Community awareness
- Long-term funding models
Without these elements, even well-intentioned device provision can fail to deliver lasting benefit.
Yemen’s Rehabilitation Needs Remain High
Yemen continues to face major rehabilitation needs linked to conflict, landmines, explosive injuries, road traffic accidents, diabetes, infection and limited access to early medical care.
Many people with limb loss may also face poverty, displacement and difficulty travelling to specialist centers. These barriers can delay fitting and reduce the chance of successful rehabilitation.
The presence of prosthetics and rehabilitation centers in locations such as Marib is therefore essential. They help bring services closer to affected populations and reduce reliance on distant or inaccessible facilities.
For patients, the impact can be life-changing. Mobility support can help a person return to school, work, family duties and community participation. For families, rehabilitation can reduce dependency and restore hope.
Relevance for the IMEA Region
For IMEA CPO readers, the Marib project offers lessons that apply across the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia and South Asia.
Many countries in the region face growing demand for prosthetic and orthotic care because of trauma, diabetes, vascular disease, neurological conditions, congenital conditions and conflict-related injury. At the same time, access to rehabilitation remains uneven.
The Marib example reinforces several priorities:
- Prosthetics and orthotics should be integrated with rehabilitation and physiotherapy.
- Humanitarian projects should include local workforce development.
- Patients require long-term follow-up, not only initial device fitting.
- Workshop infrastructure is essential for repairs and adjustments.
- Assistive technology should be treated as an essential health service.
- Rehabilitation services should be included in emergency and post-conflict recovery planning.
These principles are highly relevant for governments, NGOs, donors, hospitals and rehabilitation providers across the IMEA region.
Rehabilitation Restores Function and Dignity
The figures from Marib represent more than programme activity. Each beneficiary represents a person seeking to regain mobility, independence and participation in daily life.
For a person with limb loss, a prosthetic limb can mean standing again, walking again, returning to work or reducing dependence on family members. Physiotherapy can improve strength, balance and confidence. Specialist consultations can identify problems early and keep patients progressing safely.
This is the real value of rehabilitation. It does not only treat impairment. It helps people return to society.
Sustained Investment Is Essential
The continued reporting of KSrelief-supported prosthetics and rehabilitation activities in Yemen shows how important long-term investment remains.
Yemen’s rehabilitation needs will not be solved by one project phase or one device distribution campaign. They require sustained systems of care, supported by local professionals, reliable funding and practical service models.
For the wider prosthetics and orthotics community, the Marib project is another reminder that rehabilitation is a central part of humanitarian health response.
In conflict and post-conflict settings, mobility is not a luxury. It is a foundation for dignity, education, employment and recovery.
- Saudi Press Agency: KSrelief-Supported Prosthetics and Rehabilitation Center Serves 7,677 Beneficiaries in Marib
- KSrelief official website
- KSrelief: Marib Prosthetics Center Serves 497 Beneficiaries in May
- WHO: Rehabilitation
- WHO: Prosthetics and Orthotics Services
- WHO and UNICEF Global Report on Assistive Technology