Assistive Technology

Assistive Technology

What is Assistive Technology?

Disability, aging, and non-communicable diseases are all enabled by assistive technology. Assistance products are designed to help people retain or increase their independence and thus their health. They help people live healthy, joyous, not depending, and graceful lives, and engage in learning , and social life.

More than two billion people will need assistive products by 2030, according to UN estimates. In addition to disabled adults and children, older persons and people with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and dementia are most likely to use assistive products in their daily lives.

Many things that help people with memory loss are assistive devices. Amputations of the lower limbs in diabetics can be prevented or reduced by these products. Formal health and support services can also be reduced by using these tools. It can also have a huge impact on social and economic development.

While assistive items are needed globally, access to them is still limited. This unmet requirement is critical to achieving the SDGs and the CRPD.

Achieving this requires concentrating on five interconnected areas (5P): people, policy, products, and personnel.

(5P): people, policy, products, and personnel

 Improving access to assistive technologies

People

A full realization of WHO’s GATE initiative’s vision and purpose requires user and family participation in all interventions. Making regulations and providing services with a user-centric approach is essential. Services should be culturally suitable and suited to the users’ needs as well as physically accessible. WHO not only supports a user-centered approach but also works closely with them.

Policy

WHO is working on tools to help nations build national policies and programs to ensure everyone has access to assistive devices worldwide. To promote awareness of the necessity and impact of assistive technology, as well as political support and resources, the toolkit helps countries collect data. Minimum standards, suitable training, and service supply. Assistive technology is an important tool for people with disabilities.

Products

This list covers at least 50 things chosen for their broad need and influence on people’s living. The APL helps governments identify national priority products, set reimbursement systems, and shape markets. Assistive Items Specifications (APS) is a manual that outlines the minimal quality requirements for manufacturing 26 prioritized assistive products.

Provision

WHO is creating novel service delivery approaches, including global examples. Interconnected pathways of specialized referred centers linked to the health care internal structure are essential components. Thus, broad access and early intervention would be supported.

Personnel

This session will include a test and then suggestion, repairing and user training, , for a range of simple assistive items from the APL that will be provided. This package will help countries to strengthen community and primary level workforce capacity to supply simple assistive items.

 

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