WHO’s new training programme will give healthcare professionals the skills they need to provide assistive products
The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a new “ground-breaking” assistive technology training programme that is designed to increase access to the world’s most-needed assistive products.
Training in Assistive Products (TAP), the new programme, is an open-access online learning platform that can equip primary healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills to provide assistive products. The training complements other WHO tools and resources in supporting countries to improve access to assistive technology.
TAP modules include vision assistive products, mobility assistive products, and self-care assistive products.
Dr Clive Ondari, WHO Director of Health Products, Policy, and Standards, commented: “TAP has the potential to empower health workers around the world with the knowledge and skills to identify those who need assistive products. By harnessing digital technology to provide an open access online platform to this training product, it is truly a tool for local implementation.”
To register for TAP, click here.
The launch of TAP follows an earlier report, jointly published by WHO and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), that revealed that nearly one billion people in need of assistive technologies globally are denied access. It further found that more than 2.5 billion elderly or disabled people need one or more assistive products.
TAP is designed to meet the need of this increasing demand for assistive technologies across the globe by upskilling healthcare professionals.
It is currently available in 10 languages, including the six UN languages – Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish.
As part of the TAP launch, WHO is offering a global Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). The MOOC will provide participants with an introduction to assistive products suitable for a broad audience, from policymakers and educators, healthcare managers, and providers to users of assistive products and their families.
The MOOC is open now until 24 November 2022. To register for the event to find out more about the first module of TAP ‘Introduction to Assistive Products’, click here.