Special gear for PLWD a must

 By EUNAR NOREEN KARATU 

ACCESS to assistive technology is a human right, Motivation Australia chief executive officer Kylie Mines says.

Mines told The National in Port Moresby last Thursday that assistive technology needed to be provided through a service system, with trained personnel, who could work with people with disabilities to provide quality devices that suited their needs.

Among the basic AT tools included audio players and recorders; timers; reading guides; seat cushions; FM (frequency modulation) system; calculators; writing support; and, graphic organiser.

“We’re working with people with disabilities here in PNG on a particular issue which is around accessing assistive technology or assistive devices. The things that people who have a disability need, in order to minimise the disability that they have,” she said.

“This project is a partnership between PNG Assembly of Disabled Persons (PNGADP) and Motivation Australia, in collaboration with the Department of Health and the Department for Community Development and Religion.

“The project ‘Strengthening Assistive Device Provision in PNG’ has been a 10-month project aimed at enabling consistent access to appropriate assistive technology (AT) for people with a disability in PNG.”

She said there were good things that could be built on AT but the spread was limited.

“Particularly for people who live in rural areas,” she said.