Webuye, Kenya β A historic step in disability care was marked in Webuye after the Joseph Waswa Foundation (JWF) successfully fitted the first patient with a state-of-the-art 3D-printed prosthetic forearm.
The recipient, Mr. Joseph Lokwale, a hawker and resident of Webuye, became the first Kenyan to benefit from the revolutionary technology introduced by German company Enevra. The innovation enables prosthetic forearms to be designed and produced locally, cutting down costs and long delivery delays that have burdened patients for years.
βI am grateful to the team for giving me a new chance at life. With this hand, I can now work better and live with dignity,β said an emotional Lokwale after the device was fitted at the JWF centre.
The breakthrough follows intensive training for orthopedic specialists and technicians at the JWF facilities. According to the foundation, the centre will now serve as a regional hub for producing 3D-printed prosthetics.
Speaking during the event, Mr. Isaac Wanjekeche, Programmes Director at JWF, hailed the milestone as a turning point in disability rehabilitation in Kenya.
βThis is more than technology; it is restoring hope and independence to people who had lost it. We are proud to see the first successful fitting today, and many more patients will be attended to tomorrow,β he said.
The Enevra 3D technology, donated earlier this month, has already been described by experts as a game-changer in orthopedic care. By producing prosthetics on-site, it eliminates costly imports and provides patients with faster, more affordable access.
More beneficiaries are expected to be fitted with artificial forearms in the coming days as the programme expands. For Webuye residents like Lokwale, however, the promise of a restored future has already begun.
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