More than 2.5 billion people worldwide need assistive products like glasses, walking aids, continence products, and therapeutic footwear in their everyday life.
To meet this increasing need, the World Health Organization (WHO) is launching Training in Assistive Products or TAP, a groundbreaking training programme designed to increase access to the world’s most needed assistive products, on Thursday, 10 November 2022.
TAP is an open-access online learning platform that can equip primary healthcare workers like nurses, doctors, and community health workers 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 is currently available in 10 languages, including the six UN languages – Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
“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,” says Dr Clive Ondari, WHO Director of Health Products, Policy, and Standards.
TAP will be launched via an online event and a global Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) available all around the globe. 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.
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