Globally, diabetes is among the top 10 causes of death and disability. Over time diabetes can lead to blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, and lower limb amputation. The severity of these complications requires health service inputs from a wide range of health care professionals, including providers of rehabilitation and assistive technology. Despite it is well recognized that comprehensive management of diabetes requires action to prevent, diagnose and manage complications through rehabilitation and the provision of assistive technology, person-centered comprehensive management for people with diabetes is far from being a reality in many parts of the world.
This is of particular concern in low-and middle-income countries where three out of four people living with diabetes reside. In these settings, the rehabilitation and assistive technology services are often placed outside of the health system and are delivered in fragmented services with limited reach. Given this reality, the integration of rehabilitation and assistive technology services at the primary healthcare (PHC) level has been identified as a practical and cost-effective service delivery model.
This NCD Hard Talk will provide a virtual platform to highlight the need and benefits of integrating rehabilitation and assistive technology for diabetes management at the PHC level. Specifically, speakers will focus on existing challenges and how to address them.
Speakers:
Dr Shelly Chadha, Technical Officer, Sensory Functions, Disability and Rehabilitation, NCD Department, WHO HQ
Dr Ren Minghui, Assistant Director-General, UHC/Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases, WHO HQ
Mr Salih Hendricks, NCD patient, South Africa
Dr Chapal Khasnabis, Unit Head (a.i), Access to Assistive Technology and Medical Devices, Health Product Policy and Standards Department, WHO HQ
Dr Elliot Tannor, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Ghana
Dr Rune Nielsen, Sophies Minde Ortopedi, Norway
Dr Priscilla Nad, Technical Officer, WHO WPRO
Professor Abdul Basit, Baqai Institute of Diabetology & Endocrinology, Pakistan
Louise Puli, Consultant, Access to Assistive Technology Team, WHO HQ
Dr Bente Mikkelsen, Director, NCD Department, WHO HQ
Dr Clive Ondari, Director, Health Products Policy and Standards (HPS) Department, WHO HQ
Moderator: Dr Slim Slama, Unit Head, NCD Management-Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment, NCD Department, WHO