LAHORE: Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) Chairman Umar Saif, while addressing the wheelchairs and white canes distribution ceremony hosted by Punjab Information Technology University (ITU), said that assistive devices and technologies to cater the needs of persons with disabilities, can improve capabilities of special persons, enabling them to utilise their talent and contribute to the society.
The chairman said that more initiatives like this would be taken to establish a ‘research centre’ for ‘assistive technologies’ at Arfa Software Technology Park.
He further added that assistive devices and technologies, which have a primary purpose to maintain and improve a disabled individual’s functioning and independence, aim to facilitate participation and enhance his overall well-being, and allow the person to be a useful component of the society.
According to a WHO report, only 5 to 15 per cent of people who require assistive devices and technologies have access to them. The assistive devices and technologies include wheelchairs, prostheses, hearing aids, visual aids, and specialised computer software and hardware that increases mobility, hearing, vision, or communication capacities of the special persons.