Consultation on assistive technology in the WHO European Region

Abstract

Assistive technology enables people to live healthy, productive, independent and dignified lives, and to participate in education, the labour market and civic life. The primary purpose of assistive products is to maintain or improve individuals’ functioning and independence, and thereby promote their well-being. The Seventy-first World Health Assembly adopted resolution WHA71.8 in 2018, instructing WHO to develop a global report on assistive technology. The process for this commenced in January 2019 under the guidance of a joint WHO and United Nations Children’s Fund steering committee. To ensure the global report is relevant and contributes to improving access to assistive technology in the WHO European Region, the WHO Regional Office for Europe convened a regional consultation to discuss the findings of the report and, with this in mind, to explore and reflect on measures being pursued in countries to strengthen access to assistive technology in the Region. This report summarizes presentations and discussions from the meeting.