Following the devastating earthquake in Myanmar, ATscale is rapidly responding to the urgent needs of persons with injuries and disabilities affected by deploying essential assistive products kits. Collaborating with Momentum Wheels for Humanity-CLASP, ATscale has pre-positioned kits containing essential items such as wheelchairs, crutches, and walkers. These kits will be delivered to Myanmar in collaboration with UNICEF and in close coordination with relevant actors active on the ground such as the World Health Organization, the International Committee of the Red Cross and Humanity & Inclusion, ensuring that critical rehabilitation care reaches those in need as soon as possible.
This swift response is crucial as assistive technology plays a vital role in supporting recovery and access to essential services for individuals with newly acquired injuries and disabilities. "During any disaster, specific groups are at risk, including women, older persons, children, displaced and those with injuries and disabilities," said Satish Mishra, ATscale Head of Global Programmes. "Usually it takes at least 6-8 weeks for anyone who needs an assistive product to receive it. Pre-positioning allows us to get them the assistive products they need in a matter of days, enabling their rehabilitation or replacement of their lost assistive products and access more emergency response services and rebuild their lives."
ATscale's proactive approach highlights the importance of integrating assistive technology into humanitarian response. While often overlooked, it is crucial for ensuring inclusivity and supporting the recovery of all individuals affected by emergencies.
Assistive technology – such as mobility, positioning and hygiene aids – is extremely powerful in supporting people to recover from trauma and injuries, both psycho-socially and physically. During emergencies it can also be lifesaving, helping people to escape from dangerous situations and enabling them to access critical humanitarian services such as food, water, shelter, health care, and protection.
The need for assistive technology increases further during humanitarian crises due to loss and damage of products, new injuries, and displacement to different environments. Yet, assistive technology, unlike food, water, shelter, sanitation, healthcare, and protection, is often not seen as an important part of humanitarian response. Where the provision of assistive technology in humanitarian settings does exist, it tends to be specialized, small scale and limited to procurement and distribution with little attention to service delivery. The ‘AT10’ is a kit of the 10 assistive products that people affected by a disaster need the most. The kit includes wheelchairs, crutches, walking frames, walking sticks, self care products that require a system of support and services, including tailored fitting, follow-up and regular maintenance, to ensure its safe and effective use.
Read more: Emergency Assistive Technology (AT) Preparedness