Wheelchair Guidelines

Development Process

Wheelchair

or Chair with wheels?

Need

• It is estimated that 1% of the total population (about 70 million) need a wheelchair.

• In poor countries, only 5% of people who are in need can get wheelchairs fitted

Wheelchair makes a difference

• Isolation to Inclusion • Dependency to

Freedom• Passive Receiver to

Active Contributor• Children can go to

school and adults can work

• Live longer & healthier

Rights to wheelchair• The Convention suggests that

states have the obligation to take effective measures to ensure personal mobility. (Article 20)

• Assistive devices makes it possible to access basic needs such as health care, education, livelihood and promotes inclusion and participation.

Some of the people behind the success

• Had series of meetings starting from April 2005 at Copenhagen, Bristol and Geneva

• Developed the 1st draft and presented on 30th August 2006

Copenhagen

Bristol Geneva

Wheelchair Consensus Conference

6-11 November 2006, Bangalore - India

Wheelchair Consensus Conference

6-11 November 2006, Bangalore - India

2nd draft of the wheelchair guidelines was presented and got validated

Wheelchair Guidelines

5 Chapters:1. Introduction2. Design & Production3. Service delivery4. Training5. Policy & Planning

1. Introduction

• Defines an appropriate wheelchair

• Points out the needs for and rights to wheelchairs

• Describes basic types of wheelchair and common systems of wheelchair provision;

2. Design & Production

• Outlines methods for designing wheelchairs

• Describes different types of wheelchair

• Sets out the advantages and disadvantages of

different wheelchair designs

3. Service Delivery

• Suggest strategies for wheelchair service delivery

• Describe basic wheelchair service delivery

• Provide practice guidelines

• Suggest roles for the personnel involved

4. Training

• Offer recommendations on how training programs may be provided

• Suggest training requirements and recommend course content for personnel involved in wheelchair provision

5. Policy & Planning

… to implement sustainable wheelchair provision

• Present key activities for the planning and implementation of wheelchair provision

• Suggest strategies for costing and financing wheelchair provision

• Suggest links between wheelchair services and other sectors.

Thank you

• US Agency for International Development (USAID)• International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics

(ISPO)• Disabled Peoples’ International (DPI)• Centre for International Rehabilitation (CIR)• Motivation Charitable Trust • Whirlwind Wheelchair International• Special thanks to all who helped to develop this

document and helping in its dissemination…….Photo credits: Motivation and WHO

http://www.who.int/disabilities/publications/technology/wheelchairguidelines/en/index.html