improving access to assistive technology

Improving access to assistive technology

Agenda item 5(a)63rd Session of the WHO Regional

Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean36 October 2016, Cairo

Outline

• WHO definition of assistive technology• Why assistive technology? Why health?• Regional situation• WHO response • Proposed resolution and plan• Conclusion

2Improving access to assistive technology


WHO defines assistive technology as

“A subset of health technology, that refers to assistive products and related systems and services for people to maintain or improve functioning thereby promoting well-being ”.

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Globally: 1 billion now, 2 billion by 2050

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1 in 10 people in need have access to

assistive technology


To ensure access, ministries of health should lead

• Responsible for ensuring the health and well-being of their populations.

• Infrastructure for integrated service provision, including at primary health care levels, that can be used for wide-scale provision of assistive products.


Regional challenges

1. Lack of national policies and programmes

• No adequate information on existing legislation, policies or programmes on assistive technology

• Rehabilitation services particularly in lowmiddle income countries are provided by the private sector, nongovernmental organizations, donors and international institutions


2. Inability to properly assess needs and provide services to different groups

• Needs not fully known

• Regional data on disability, ageing, noncommunicable diseases and injuries can be considered a proxy measure of market size of required products

• Needs are even higher in emergency situations


Proxy measures of regional market size

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• Disability– Over 97 million estimated to be living with disabilities – Country prevalence of disability between 0.7% and 4.6%

• Ageing population– Projected to double from 7% (2015) to 15% (2050) of regional

population• Noncommunicable diseases

– Highest diabetes prevalence (13.7%) among adults 18+ in the world. Lower limb amputation rates 10 to 20 times higher than among the general population

• Injury– Second highest road traffic death rate worldwide.– For every death, there are at least 20 more non-fatal injuries with

possible permanent disabilities


Emergency situations

• Over 62 million people affected in the Region

• Humanitarian needs in Syria, 2016

• Earthquakes: Bam (2003) and Kashmir (2005)


3. Inadequate rehabilitation services, including skilled personnel and assistive products

• In many low- and middle-income countries, only 515% of people requiring assistive products have access to them

• Inadequate production, poor quality of some assistive products, and prohibitive costs


WHO responseGlobal cooperation

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Product

PersonnelProvision

Policy

Assistive technology policy framework

Priority assistive

products list

Single-window service provision

Training package


Proposed resolution: Regional action plan

Policy and financing Service provision Products Personnel

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Health sector leadership in coordination with others

Integrated national policy

Adequate financing

Data on needs for planning

National priority assistive products listEssential service deliverycomponent

AT in emergency preparedness and response

National standards for assistive technology

National/regional collaboration and coordination for manufacturing

Appropriate and adequate human resources at all levels of health service delivery

Specialized assistive technology professions


Conclusion

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• Assistive technology is essential to maintain and improve functioning, reduce need for caregivers and rationalize costs

• Ministries of health are key to ensure universal access to assistive technology, even where others carry the main responsibility

• Access to assistive technology is as important as access to medicines, vaccines and medical products

• Integration of assistive technology in universal health coverage and in emergency preparedness and response is essential


Thank you

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“[Assistive technology] has been supporting me for almost 20 years, allowing me to do what I love every day.

[It] has the potential to improve the lives of disabled people around the world and is leading the way in terms of human interaction and the ability to overcome the …boundaries that once stood in the way”.

Professor Stephen Hawking, 2014


improving access to assistive technology

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