Cabinet approves signing of Project Collaboration Agreement between the Department of Health Research (DHR) and the WHO on Assistive Technology

 The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, was apprised of signing of Project Collaboration Agreement between the Department of Health Research (DHR) and the World Health Organization (WHO) for promoting access to high quality affordable assistive technology mainly through fostering research, innovation, and capacity building.

The Project Collaboration Agreement (PCA) was signed on 10.10.2022 by WHO and on 18.10.2022 by Department of Health Research (DHR).

This collaboration aims to work towards drawing global attention toward access to assistive technology, fostering research and innovation and developing and disseminating appropriate training programmes.

Assistive Technology:

  • Assistive technology is an umbrella term covering the systems and services related to the delivery of assistive products and services.
  • Assistive products maintain or improve an individual’s functioning and independence, thereby promoting their well-being.

Overview

Assistive technology enables people to live healthy, productive, independent, and dignified lives, and to participate in education, the labour market and civic life. Assistive technology reduces the need for formal health and support services, long-term care and the work of caregivers. Without assistive technology, people are often excluded, isolated, and locked into poverty, thereby increasing the impact of disease and disability on a person, their family, and society.

Who can benefit from assistive technology?

People who most need assistive technology include:

  • people with disabilities
  • older people
  • people with noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes and stroke
  • people with mental health conditions including dementia and autism
  • people with gradual functional decline.
Examples of assistive products include hearing aids, wheelchairs, spectacles, prostheses and devices that support memory, among many others. While supporting independence and well-being, these products can also help to prevent or reduce the effects of secondary health conditions, such as lower limb amputation in people with diabetes. They can also reduce the need and impact on carers and mitigate the need for formal health and support services. Moreover, access to appropriate assistive products can have a tremendous impact on community development and economic growth.

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