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The
World Health Organization (WHO) Pilot
Training on Wheelchair Service Delivery
(Basic Level) was inaugurated on Monday,
21st June 2010. Ms. Sathyvathi Shamshuddin,
President, Mobility India welcomed the
participants and wished them a successful
training experience.
Speaking at the occasion, Chief Guest, Ms.
Savithri, (KAS) Director of Welfare of
Disabled & Senior Citizens said “It is
important that we provide the right
wheelchair that fits the purpose of the
individual, instead of distributing them
without proper assessment. It defeats the
purpose of enabling the person; the wrong
wheelchair makes the person more disabled.”
Kylie Mines, WHO Co- coordinator for
Developing Training Packages stressed upon
the relevance of the training programme and
traced the evolution process. “According to
the WHO, over 20 million people world over
require wheelchairs for mobility, but the
fact is that they are often inappropriate
for the user. The way to provide a good
wheelchair that would improve the quality of
life of the person would be to ensure 3 key
factors being appropriate- Product, Service
& Training. This premise was arrived at with
the initiative of WHO starting in the year
2005. A Consensus Conference in 2006 held at
Mobility India led to the WHO Guidelines for
Wheelchair Service Delivery published in the
year 2008. This programme is the first of
its kind and will be followed up by modules
in higher levels of Wheelchair Service
Delivery. “
12 participants from across India, Nepal,
East Timor and Australia are attending the
training. The participant profile includes
wheelchair users, Physio & Occupational
Therapists, Prosthetists & Orthotists,
Community Workers and other rehabilitation
personnel. The programme ends on 2nd July
2010.
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