At the age of four, Mussa Chiwaula contracted polio, leaving him with paralysis in lower limbs and right hand. Since 2014, he has been working for a regional disability organization, the Southern Africa Federation of the Disabled (SAFOD), which advocates a policy framework to ensure that disability, including assistive technology, becomes part of the regional development agenda.
On Sunday 5 November, the world marks International Prosthetics and Orthotics Day. Having access to appropriate prostheses and orthoses can change a person’s life, allowing them to participate in all aspects of society and their community, including education, work, family, access to health care, and much more.
When they signed up to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), world leaders promised to Leave No One Behind. At this year’s SDG Summit therefore, they should take a closer look at the 2.5 billion people who need assistive technology (AT). Without increasing access to AT, we simply will not achieve the SDGs.
