Demand for Prostheses Rises as Conflict in Eastern Congo Escalates

Melissa Hamuli, 30, finds it difficult to move after an explosion in the North Kivu village of Mubambiro earlier this year changed her life forever. Her legs no longer work properly, even though she barely avoided having them amputated. War is not beneficial. Many people become incapacitated by it, and some people pass away,” she claims. We ask the nation’s leaders to show us mercy and to stop.

At Shirika la Umoja, an orthopaedic facility on the front lines of the violence in eastern Congo, Melissa is one of many patients. Since 2005, the International Committee of the Red Cross has sponsored the institution, which has long given war-wounded people prosthetic limbs. However, the demand has increased along with the violence.

Jérôme Amani. Another patient, Jean-Claude, was attacked by armed groups in April and lost his wife and four children. His limb was amputated due to severe injuries. They gave me a warm welcome when I got here. And I felt like I could walk again after using the prosthetic,” he said.

Julienne Paypay, a technician, observes the change: “Previously, the majority of patients were born with a handicap. The majority are combat amputees today. More than 800 individuals with severe injuries have received treatment at the centre since the beginning of 2025. Production of prosthetic limbs has increased dramatically, rising from 422 in 2024 to 326 in the first half of 2025 alone.

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