To avoid accidents involving wheelchair-bound Persons with Disabilities, the DOH-CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) has been providing training on the proper use of wheelchair.
Paulina A. Calo, Nurse V and PWD Regional Coordinator, said most users are not familiar with the proper procedures in the effective use of wheelchair.
Because of this, she said there were some who accidentally fell or tipped over while using a wheelchair.
“Through this training they will be introduced, educated and trained in the proper use of the wheelchair,” said Calo.
Aside from PWDs, ghe DOH also gives training to service providers.
At present, CALABARZON now has a total of 75 personnel trained in basic wheelchair service use and applications from the provinces of Laguna, Batangas and Quezon.
DOH CALABARZON under Regional Director Eduardo Janairo had just concluded the third batch of Wheelchair Service Training Package: Basic Level for service providers and Persons with Disabilities for Quezon province.
Janairo said the four-day training program includes various application of wheelchair services including proper sitting position, proper lifting and transferring of a disabled person from wheelchair to bed or chair, and avoiding pressure sores which is one of the most commonly experienced by a user due to improper wheelchair usage.
At the same time, Calo said the regional office will also provide wheelchairs to those who really need them the most.
“We will distribute wheelchairs that will be custom-fitted to their body-size and tailored to their personal requirements because it is very important that a wheelchair fits the user to ensure safety and effective mobility.”
Today, the wheelchair is not only used by PWDs. Senior citizens also use them as form, of mobility.
They are also being used by persons who suffered temporary disability due to accidents like fracture and persons with chronic illnesses like those needing dialysis to provide them movement in their daily routine.
A wheelchair is a chair fitted with wheels commonly used as a means of transport by a person who is unable or has difficulty in walking due to illness, injury, or disability.
The Wheelchair Service Training Package – Basic level was developed by the World Health Organization in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), with the purpose of developing the minimum skills and knowledge required by personnel involved in wheelchair service delivery.
The basic wheelchair training for PWDs of CALABARZON was conducted through the directive and initiative of Janairo under the regional health office’s special projects in support of Universal Health Care with the objective of providing a more efficient, effective and sustainable health care delivery for all.