Promoting regional coherence and cohesion amidst multiple assistive technology initiatives in Africa.
Africa, coherence
assistive products
assistive technology
cohesion
Journal
African journal of disability
ISSN: 2223-9170
Titre abrégé: Afr J Disabil
Pays: South Africa
ID NLM: 101623460
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
2022
2022
Historique:
received:
10
09
2021
accepted:
25
11
2021
entrez:
14
3
2022
pubmed:
15
3
2022
medline:
15
3
2022
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Appropriate provision of assistive technology services (ATS) and products are a global health issue and essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Sixth African Network for Evidence-to-Action on Disability (AfriNEAD) conference included a workshop on collaboration, cohesion and coherence in ATS delivery in Africa. This article aimed to summarise the workshop proceedings and to provide some recommendations on how coherence and cohesion can be facilitated in assistive technology services in Africa. A round table and small group discussions on assistive technology were facilitated in the virtual space of the AfriNEAD conference. Organisations and role players in ATS and products in Africa participated as keynote speakers, round table members and in small group discussions. There was consensus amongst participants that cohesive collaboration must be facilitated. They further agreed that users must be central to future action. There are local, national and regional initiatives, but none of these have grown into an African assistive technology platform. World Health Organization (WHO) Africa can bring partners together and facilitate creation, officialisation and operationalising of a continental assistive technology platform, through building on the existing initiatives. The AfriNEAD disability research country working groups can act as in-country coordinating bodies for ATS and afford a possibility of a structured approach to assistive technology research. It is time to break away from Western institutionalised biomedical ways of providing ATS in Africa. Africans must develop coherent, cohesive ATS driven by empowered users who build on Africa's strengths and addresses the continents' unique needs.
Sections du résumé
Background
UNASSIGNED
Appropriate provision of assistive technology services (ATS) and products are a global health issue and essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Sixth African Network for Evidence-to-Action on Disability (AfriNEAD) conference included a workshop on collaboration, cohesion and coherence in ATS delivery in Africa.
Objective
UNASSIGNED
This article aimed to summarise the workshop proceedings and to provide some recommendations on how coherence and cohesion can be facilitated in assistive technology services in Africa.
Method
UNASSIGNED
A round table and small group discussions on assistive technology were facilitated in the virtual space of the AfriNEAD conference. Organisations and role players in ATS and products in Africa participated as keynote speakers, round table members and in small group discussions.
Results
UNASSIGNED
There was consensus amongst participants that cohesive collaboration must be facilitated. They further agreed that users must be central to future action. There are local, national and regional initiatives, but none of these have grown into an African assistive technology platform. World Health Organization (WHO) Africa can bring partners together and facilitate creation, officialisation and operationalising of a continental assistive technology platform, through building on the existing initiatives. The AfriNEAD disability research country working groups can act as in-country coordinating bodies for ATS and afford a possibility of a structured approach to assistive technology research.
Conclusion
UNASSIGNED
It is time to break away from Western institutionalised biomedical ways of providing ATS in Africa. Africans must develop coherent, cohesive ATS driven by empowered users who build on Africa's strengths and addresses the continents' unique needs.
Identifiants
pubmed: 35280968
doi: 10.4102/ajod.v11i0.937
pii: AJOD-11-937
pmc: PMC8905435
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Pagination
937Informations de copyright
© 2022. The Authors.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships that may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article.
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