Today, 1 billion people globally need assistive technology to lead healthy, productive and dignified lives but only 1 in 10 have access. One of the biggest barriers to accessing assistive technology is a lack of data. Without relevant, quality information, decision makers face huge challenges in developing evidence-informed policies and programmes to improve access for their populations.
The resolution on improving access to assistive technology (resolution WHA71.8) urges all Member States to take actions to improve access to assistive technology, and requests the World Health Organization (WHO) to develop a Global Report on Assistive Technology based on the best available scientific evidence and international experience.
WHO has developed the WHA71.8 Progress Indicators for access to assistive technology to collect high-level information from all Member States to track and measure progress in achieving the resolution. The Progress Indicators monitor the status of assistive technology access across ten specific areas reported in the resolution: legislation, population and geographic coverage, budget, responsible ministries, human resources, education and training, financial coverage, regulations and standards, and specific assistive technology initiatives.
Data will be collected between April and June 2021, and will be reported in the Global Report on Assistive Technology presented at the Seventy-fifth World Health Assembly in 2022.
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