MAKKAH: The Baitureh Health Association for the Care of Amputees has quickly become one of Saudi Arabia’s most impactful humanitarian initiatives, transforming support for people with lost limbs.

Established in 2020, the association deals with people’s physical, psychological and social needs and fills a long-standing gap in the national health system.

CEO Badr bin Alyan told Arab News that the initiative was created in response to a growing need, driven by amputations linked to accidents, blood disorders, occupational injuries and other causes.

Its operations were “based on service integration rather than fragmentation, enabling beneficiaries to return to their lives with confidence, ability and independence,” he said.

This holistic process covers everything from initial evaluations to psychological and physical rehabilitation, family support, prosthetic fitting and ongoing maintenance.

Its psychological support programs include group sessions led by certified mentors who have undergone similar experiences, as well as field visits to support patients before and after amputation.

More than 1,000 people across the Kingdom have so far benefitted from the association’s work, about 10 percent of them children, whom Alyan said were “the most sensitive and the most in need of intensive psychological and family support.”

Its specialist programs for children — My First Step and Therapeutic Entertainment — help young people adapt to prosthetics, overcome trauma and build confidence in a safe and supportive setting.

The association has completed more than 300 prosthetic fittings, including silicone cosmetic limbs, mechanical, hydraulic, electronic and 3D-printed models. 

Alyan said the type of prosthetic selected depended on a number of factors, such as age, lifestyle, type of amputation, activity level and psychological readiness.

Children also have to undergo frequent adjustments to their new limbs to account for their growth.

Each prosthetic cost between SR20,000 ($5,300) and SR285,000, Alyan said.

The association funds its work through sponsorships, community contributions and strategic partnerships.

Despite its success, Alyan said there were still challenges to be faced, including the lack of a consolidated base for the provision of psychological support and therapy services and prosthetics development and maintenance.

There was also a shortage of local experts, he said.

In response, the association set up a rehabilitation center, which Alyan said would help to localize prosthetics manufacturing, reduce costs and accelerate fitting processes and create opportunities for local experts to develop their knowledge and experience.

But providing prosthetics was only part of the association’s work, he said.

“Rebuilding a human life is the deeper goal.”