It is estimated that over 65 million people with physical disabilities worldwide need wheelchairs, though less than 1 percent own or have access to one.
Often wheelchairs are distributed without prescriptions or fitting standards, cushions or an appropriate seating configuration. Also inappropriate and ill–fitting chairs do not provide any significant improvement to the user's mobility, independence and integration into their community. Such wheelchairs may increase the risk of secondary conditions such as pressure sores or spinal deformity. This happens because there are no methods whatsoeverfor wheelchair service provisions especially in the less resourced part of the world.
In 2008, the World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines on provision of manual wheelchairs in less resourced settings was published as the first step towards developing a system of wheelchair provision to support implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (specifically Articles 4, 20 & 26) where provision of wheelchair and other assistive devices are highlighted.