WHO's free online Wheelchair Service Training Package

It is estimated that there are more than 70 million people worldwide who require wheelchairs, yet only 5-15% of people have access. People in developing countries often depend on the donation of wheelchairs, which are frequently of poor quality and not suitable either for the users or their environment.Health and rehabilitation professionals are not always trained adequately to ensure people with disabilities have a quality wheelchair. 

After extensive expert consultations, field trials and an expert review, WHO in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has developed the Wheelchair Service Training Package - Basic level. WHO is in process of developing the Wheelchair Service Training Package – Intermediate level which is expected to be launched in June 2013.

The main purpose of the training package is to develop the minimum skills and knowledge required by personnel involved in wheelchair service delivery. The complete package contains all the necessary forms and checklists and guides, a trainer's manual and a set of posters and presentations. It can be freely downloaded from WHO's website. The URL is given below:

http://who.int/disabilities/technology/wheelchairpackage/en/index.html