On 24 May 2016 during the 69 World Health Assembly along with other distinguished delegates, H.E. Saira Afzal Tarar and H.E. Margarita Guevara, Health Ministers from Pakistan and Ecuador respectively, launched the WHO Priority Assistive Products List, which is the first step of WHO's GATE initiative towards improving global access to assistive products for everyone, everywhere. The Priority Assistive Products List aspires to follow in the footsteps of the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, which creates awareness among the public, mobilizes resources and stimulates competition.
The Priority Assistive Products List is similarly intended to be a catalyst in promoting access to assistive technology. IDA and WBU assisted the WHO in the creation of the list.
It is not a restrictive list but aims to provide each Member State with a model from which to develop a National priority assistive products list.
Like the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, the Priority Assistive Products List will also provide guidance for procurement and reimbursement policies, including insurance coverage. The list features the most priority assistive products for persons with disabilities and is separated into categories by type of disability, with vision being one of the categories.
For more information and to download the list, which is available in the six UN languages, click on the following link:
http://www.who.int/phi/implementation/assistive_technology/global_survey-apl/en/