A volunteer medical team from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre has fitted prosthetic limbs for 20 Ukrainian refugees during a five-day mission in Rzeszów, Poland.
The project was implemented from 16 to 20 August 2026 with the participation of eight volunteers, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The initiative forms part of Saudi Arabia’s continuing programme of international medical volunteering through KSrelief, extending prosthetic care to people who have experienced limb loss as a result of conflict and other causes.
While the mission took place outside IMEA CPO’s core geographical area, it demonstrates the increasing international reach of Saudi-supported prosthetic and rehabilitation programmes and the potential for specialist O&P teams from the region to contribute to global humanitarian responses.
Continuing support for Ukrainian amputees
Rzeszów, in southeastern Poland, has served as an important location for humanitarian assistance to Ukrainians displaced by the war. Prosthetic missions conducted there can provide specialist support to refugees who may be separated from their established healthcare systems or unable to access appropriate services in Ukraine.
The August campaign follows previous KSrelief prosthetic initiatives for Ukrainian refugees in Poland.
In December 2024, a KSrelief volunteer team provided 64 prosthetic and rehabilitation services to 32 people in Rzeszów. That earlier mission included the fitting of prosthetic limbs and the delivery of rehabilitation sessions. KSrelief reported that it was also the first occasion on which its Saudi volunteer team used Direct Socket technology during a prosthetic humanitarian project.
The latest mission adds a further 20 prosthetic recipients to this continuing programme of assistance.
Specialist care within a short mission
The fitting of prosthetic limbs within a five-day project requires significant preparation and coordination. Appropriate patient selection, clinical assessment, component availability, technical fabrication and rehabilitation planning must be organised before and during the mission.
Although the SPA announcement does not provide details of amputation levels, components or fabrication methods used during the August campaign, each device must be configured around the individual beneficiary’s clinical presentation, functional needs and environment.
The completion of a prosthesis is also only one stage of rehabilitation. Patients normally require instruction in using the device, gait or functional training, skin monitoring and access to subsequent adjustments.
For refugees, organising follow-up can be particularly challenging. Patients may relocate, return to their home country or continue their journeys elsewhere. Effective missions therefore benefit from coordination with local healthcare providers that can offer maintenance, socket review, physiotherapy and replacement components after the visiting team departs.
Saudi O&P expertise in international humanitarian care
KSrelief’s wider Artificial Limbs Program has primarily focused on supporting amputees in Yemen and Syria. Its stated objectives include providing appropriate prosthetic devices, training local personnel and strengthening the capacity of health institutions to continue delivering rehabilitation services.
The organisation reports that more than 26,000 people have benefited from that programme, with the majority receiving services in Yemen.
The Poland missions represent a different model: short-duration volunteer interventions delivered by specialist teams in cooperation with organisations and services in the host country.
These deployments provide immediate assistance while also demonstrating the expertise available within Saudi Arabia’s rehabilitation sector. Prosthetists, orthotists, technicians, physiotherapists and other healthcare professionals from the Kingdom are increasingly participating in programmes serving patients beyond the Middle East.
The need for long-term continuity
Volunteer projects can make an important contribution when they are integrated into a sustainable care pathway. Prosthetic users will require continuing access to consumables, repairs and professional review throughout the life of their device.
Socket fit may change as the residual limb matures or the user’s body weight and activity level change. Prosthetic feet, knees, liners and suspension systems may also require maintenance or eventual replacement.
Future reporting on missions of this kind could therefore benefit from including information on follow-up arrangements, rehabilitation outcomes and cooperation with local prosthetic providers. These indicators would complement the number of devices fitted and provide a clearer picture of longer-term impact.
The latest Rzeszów project nevertheless reflects a significant humanitarian commitment. In five days, eight Saudi volunteers provided 20 Ukrainian refugees with individually fitted prosthetic limbs and an opportunity to regain greater mobility and independence.
- Saudi Press Agency: KSrelief Prosthetic Project in Poland
- KSrelief Volunteer Programme
- KSrelief Artificial Limbs Program
- KSrelief’s December 2024 Prosthetic Mission in Poland
- World Health Organization: Rehabilitation