Capacity building: what WHO is doing
At present most schools of public health, medical schools and other institutions involved in training health professionals around the world do not include disability and rehabilitation in their curricula. Nor are disability issues included in the curricula of other technical or professional schools, such as those training architects, urban planners, and engineers.
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Articles 20, 25 and 26 requires Member States to develop initial and continuing training for professionals and staff to improve access to mobility devices, health care, habilitation and rehabilitation services. Investment is required in a range of measures, including enhancing knowledge, developing skills, ensuring enabling support systems and making use of related networks and collaborations.
Presently, WHO's priorities for capacity building in the area of disability and rehabilitation are to work with collaborating centres and partners to:
- Support Members States that have signed and or ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to meet their obligations related to human resource development under this treaty
- Develop a package of training materials for health professionals involved in disability and rehabilitation
- Contribute to the preparation of a disability and rehabilitation curriculum for schools of public health, medical schools and other health-related institutions
- Update as required the chapter on disability and rehabilitation in WHO's TEACH-VIP curriculum for injury prevention and control
- Promote the inclusion of disability issues in the curricula of other technical and professional schools so that their graduates are able to influence decisions about and facilitate access to services for people with disabilities