The International Society of Wheelchair Professionals (ISWP) aims to improve the assessment and provision of appropriate wheelchairs globally. Inappropriate wheelchairs can lead to a range of risks, e.g. social exclusion, injuries and pressure sores. ISWP is committed to mitigating these risks by advocating to governments for integrated wheelchair services, providing training to build capacity among trainers, and promoting the use of quality wheelchair products.
The Global Report on Assistive Technology, states that 2.5 billion people need one or more assistive products, such as wheelchairs, hearing aids, or communication aids and cognition. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated 80 million people (or 1% of the world's population) are likely to require a wheelchair to assist their mobility.
By conducting needs assessments in each of the World Health Organization regions, we will have a greater understanding of the local context to identify the needs and barriers for wheelchair provision. Then ISWP can train local healthcare professionals, community workers, and carers through a train-the-trainer process to increase global capacity and improve the lives of wheelchair users and their families.
By increasing the number of trained professionals globally this will lead to a rise in the number of people accessing services and wheelchairs. Additionally, trained personnel will advocate for improved service delivery worldwide, significantly enhancing the quality of life of people requiring wheelchairs and increase community participation.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
