ISLAMABAD: The World Health Organisation (WHO) and Pakistan Baitul Maal (PBM) have decided to provide 25 assistive devices free of cost to persons living with disabilities.

“We want to start it as a pilot project in 12 districts across the country and will provide assistive devices to at least 10,000 people. Though it will involve Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules and a number of other requirements we want to complete the pilot project during the current financial year,” PBM Managing Director Aon Abbas told Dawn.

In June last year, the World Health Assembly (WHA) unanimously passed a resolution about improving access to assistive technology for persons with disabilities, elderly and those with non-communicable diseases. The WHA made it mandatory for all 194 countries to implement the resolution within four years. The resolution was tabled by Pakistan in Geneva and co-sponsored by 35 countries such as China, Germany and USA.

WHO and PBM plan to start pilot project in 12 districts across country which will benefit 10,000 people

The primary purpose of assistive devices and technologies is to maintain or improve an individual’s functioning and independence to facilitate participation and enhance overall well-being. They can also help prevent impairments and secondary health conditions. Examples of assistive devices and technologies include wheelchairs, prostheses, hearings aids, visual aids and specialised computer software and hardware that increase mobility, hearing, vision, or communication capacities.

At present, it is estimated that in low-income and middle-income countries, only 5-15pc of people who require assistive devices and technologies have access to them.

The WHO has prepared a list of 50 assistive devices and suggested providing them to the persons free of cost.

But Mr Abbas said it had been decided that 25 most prioritised devices would be provided to the persons with disabilities. In the first phase, the devices would be arranged in two districts from each province. Moreover, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir have been included in the pilot project. Later, the programme would be extended across the country.

In reply to a question, he said funding was not an issue as most of the devices were available at nominal rates.

“Some of the devices such as watches for the visually impaired are available for just Rs400 but the major issue is implementing the PPRA rules,” Mr Abbas said.

The prioritised devices are: walking aids, tripod, crutches, walking frames, rollators, portable ramps, club foot braces, off-the-shelf ankle foot orthoses, neuropathic/diabetic protective footwear, shower and toilet chairs, absorbent incontinence products, pressure relief cushions, wheelchairs, alarm signallers, digital hearing aids, pill organiser, magnetic white board, audio players, Braille slate and stylus, reading glasses, magnifiers, watches and white canes.

WHO technical adviser Dr Maryam Mallick told Dawn that there were some challenges for improving access to assistive technology (AT) in Pakistan such as there was no assistive technology strategy or plan. Government funding for assistive product is lacking or inadequate.

“There is a lack of a governmental AT information system. This means that the government may not be able to monitor coverage and identify gaps in the AT service delivery and it would hinder proper planning to improve access.”

Weak systems for registration and pricing regulation of assistive also cause duplication.

Lack of a system to identify the potential of producing assistive products locally at a lower cost is also an issue.

“While local manufacturers reportedly represent a small component of supply of AT products, there are no plans or vision currently in place to increase their share which would reduce the costs associated with the procurement, transportation and maintenance of the imported products.” There is also a lack of reliable information on the availability and affordability of individual assistive products. The limited number of educational institutions offering degree or diploma courses for training in such disciplines is also a common feature.

“Currently, the focus is on only three devices: wheelchair, white cane and hearing aid. But other assistive devices are also as important as the three,” she said.

“We hope that efforts would be made for the enactment of a disability bill, implementation of the UN Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and a regional resolution on AT. There is a need of disability specific data as the census of 2017 did not have a question on disability. Besides, community-based rehabilitation should be promoted,” she said.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2019