Govt decried for inappropriate assistive devices
Leading a life on the wheelchair is agonising but what is more painful is the government's apathy in supplying these assistive devices without understanding the individual's need, lamented Director of Welfare of Disabled and Senior Citizens, Savithri.
She was speaking after inaugurating Wheelchair service delivery training programme conducted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) at Mobility India on Monday.
"It is very unfortunate that the department is supplying these inappropriate assistive devices, rendering the physically challenged more disabled. These devices are not effectively utilised by the needy and are thrown away many a times,” she said.
The wheelchair is one of the most commonly used assistive devices for enhancing the personal mobility of people with disabilities.
Millions need wheelchairs
An estimated one percent of the world's population, or just over 65 million people, need wheelchairs today.
WHO came up with the comprehensive guidelines in 2005 to make the ‘perfect wheelchair’ according to one's environmental conditions.
Following the guidelines and training will enable wheelchair manufacturers to make a user-friendly wheelchair, said Kylie Mines, WHO co-ordinator for developing training package.
Director of Mobility India, Albina Shankar said that the wheelchair available in City is comparatively better than the ones available in the rural areas where poor quality wheelchairs are being supplied.
Mobility India is conducting a ten-day basic-level training on wheelchair service delivery to enable manufacturers to have knowledge of assessment, prescription, fitting and follow-up of wheelchair user.
