According to the World Health Organization, one in seven people around the world needs assistive devices, and this rate is higher among persons with disabilities. Assistive devices are essential tools for persons with disabilities to accomplish daily life activities, enabling self-care, education, work and social activities. Despite the challenging COVID situation, USAID’s Moving without Limits project supported a series of screening and needs assessments for assistive devices in June for 550 persons with disabilities in Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam and Binh Dinh provinces. The assessments, conducted by a team of professionally trained medical doctors and physiotherapists, identified 268 persons with disabilities (over 50% of those screened) as having a need for an assistive device. As a result, assistive devices, custom modified to fit the size and need of each individual, were prescribed and provided, including cerebral palsy wheelchairs, walking canes, walking frames, underarm crutches and prosthetic and orthotic devices.
With USAID’s support, persons with mobility disabilities are receiving improved access to individualized quality health care services, leading to improved health conditions and increased independence in daily living.