18 per cent of India’s population requires assistive care solutions, says former DGHS

New Delhi, Mar 10 (PTI) Highlighting India’s growing need for assistive technologies to cope with disabilities or chronic illnesses, experts at a recent event stressed the need for evidence-based research and collaboration to bridge the gap between these products and their end-users.

The experts at a session on ‘Growing Need for Assistive Technologies’ at the 8th National Health Writers and Influencers Convention, held at AIIMS, asserted that India has a huge and growing demand for assistive technologies (ATs) to help about 250 million people who need them to cope with disabilities, ageing or chronic illnesses.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr R K Srivastava, former director general of health services at the Union Health Ministry, said 18 per cent of India’s population requires assistive care solutions such as spectacles, hearing aids, wheelchairs, communication aids and prosthetic limbs.

Dr Ashoo Grover, Scientist ‘F’ and Deputy Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research, said ICMR and other partners have identified some priority ATs for India and are working on developing and delivering them indigenously.

She said evidence-based implementation research is crucial for bridging the gap between innovative products and end-users. Grover also emphasised the need for collaborative efforts among stakeholders to ensure the effectiveness, affordability and accessibility of ATs.

Dr Srivastava added that these solutions were vital for improving the quality of life and social inclusion of the elderly, long-term hospital patients and individuals with congenital or acquired disabilities.

He also highlighted the global scale of the issue, saying that in developed countries, up to 30 to 40 per cent of the population requires ATs, while in less-developed countries, it accounts for about 18 per cent.

Public health expert Dr Chandrakant S Pandav, former head of the Department of Community Medicine at AIIMS, shared his personal experiences of using a wheelchair and called for a change in societal attitudes towards individuals who rely on ATs.

He said the disabled community in India faces a lack of societal acceptance and infrastructure, and urged people to view them as valued members of society.

Dr Srivastava also called upon journalists and influencers, highlighting their vital role as messengers in informing and influencing public opinion and policy decisions regarding assistive care solutions.

He stressed the need for a positive shift in society’s attitude towards individuals using assistive technologies while emphasizing the critical importance of timely, affordable, and high-quality assistive products for all members of society.

The session concluded with a call for collaboration among various stakeholders, including researchers, policymakers, manufacturers, healthcare providers and the media.