International Day of Persons with Disabilities: Unlocking the Door to Freedom

International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) is a UN day commemorated annually on December 3 to promote the rights and well-beings of disabled persons and boost awareness of their situations in social, cultural, economic and political life. The 2024 theme is “Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future.” It sparks light on the need to include differently abled people in the decision-making process in the healthcare sector for a sustainable future. For the record, Article 25 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities suggests persons with disabilities have equal rights with other people, alluding to equity and the same rights and healthcare as any other person.

The numbers game cast a shadow of barriers and denial of fair chances at accessing health services. According to the UN, 16% of the global population are persons with disabilities, translating into a projected 1.3 billion people, or 1 in 6 of us. Adding insult to injury, differently abled people have two times more risk of developing conditions, including diabetes, obesity, asthma, depression, poor oral health or stroke. Moreover, poverty, discrimination, stigma and exclusion from employment and education pile up health inequalities.

Can orthopedic surgical robots, electric wheelchairs, foot and ankle devices and stair lifts and climbing devices be game changers to ensure a disability-inclusive world?

Electric Wheelchair Steers an Inclusive Future

The Industry 4.0 revolution, underpinned by digital technologies, can enhance the quality of life. Wheelchairs have become sought-after for postural support, mobility and freedom. Lately, persons with restricted mobility have sought solace in the electric wheelchair market for ease of use, more freedom, comfort and a safer option. In March 2024, IIT Madras was reported to have indigenously developed India’s most customizable electric standing wheelchair. The wheelchair can apparently transition from sitting and standing, helping people reach for a book or engage in eye-level conversation.

In May 2023, WHO joined forces with the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics and the International Society of Wheelchair Providers to introduce new Wheelchair provision guidelines to address the challenge of providing wheelchairs to 80 million people in need. In doing so, non-magnetic and manual wheelchairs, along with electric mobility devices, have expanded their stride. For instance, Grand View Research expects the manual wheelchair market to be a 5.2 billion US dollar industry by 2030. The mobility assistive device is a cost-effective device with increased maneuverability and portability. To illustrate, advanced manual wheelchairs provide ergonomic and customized design with increased durability.

Leveraging Pediatric Wheelchair

No chair is one-size-fits-all. Wheelchairs are a boon for young children with disabilities to boost cognitive skills, independence, physical development and social integration. The pediatric wheelchair market is well-positioned to redefine innovations for an inclusive and safe environment to help children with special needs explore and play in ways that are in line with their abilities. In May 2024, CBS News reported how a landmark program at Tulane University helped young children with newfound mobility and independence for free while making the wheelchairs involved 3D printing technology.

The need for compatibility and medical safety has ushered in the demand for non-magnetic wheelchairs. To reiterate, persons with disabilities are prone to various diseases, prompting companies in the non-magnetic wheelchair market to develop tools that can be used in and around the MRI suite.

Reinventing Orthopedic Surgical Robots and Foot and Ankle Devices

Familiarity breeds confidence. Assistive devices that provide a ray of hope for wheelchair-bound people to get back on their feet could gain traction. In February 2024, scientists from the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italian Institute of Technology) and the Istituto Nazionale Assicurazione Infortuni sul Lavoro (National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work) developed a prototype form of a lower-body exoskeleton. It was made for patients with nonexistent or reduced motor ability in the lower body. The foot and ankle devices market will continue to witness research and development activities and technological advancements for an inclusive future.

When it comes to improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities, orthopedic robots are the catalysts in personalizing personal care. Surgical robots are the fulcrum of digitally-powered surgery that can reduce tissue damage, complication issues and blood loss and enhance patient recovery. Orthopedic surgical robots market, underpinned by technological advancements in deep learning, can boost precision and help surgeons perform spinal surgeries, joint replacements and fracture repairs. For instance, robotic technology provides incredible precision, creating an exact virtual map of the joint anatomy of the patient and the surgery needs smaller incisions vis-à-vis traditional ways.

Why Do Stair Lifts and Climbing Devices Matter?

Stair lifts-battery-powered chairs-are designed for a comfortable riding seat, which can be installed indoors and outdoors. People with special needs have sought stair lifts and climbing devices to enable a sense of independence and boost mobility. These devices can be the game changer for persons with restricted mobility, spurring the star lifts and climbing devices market growth. An uptake in technological advancements, including wheelchair-incorporated, curved and outdoor lifts, has boded well for differently abled individuals.

Persons with disabilities may seek urinary catheters to drain the bladder; however, lack of health plan coverage is a chink in the armor. In March 2022, the Spina Bifida Association and Duke Health released a study claiming that people with special needs who require catheters grapple with health plan coverage to cover the cost of supplies, prompting some users to re-use the device. Stakeholders in the catheter market are expected to inject funds into the device to make it more accessible.

Electric Mobility Underscores Disability Inclusion

Electric mobility has a monumental role to play in fostering a sustainable future-the strategy integral to the 2024 theme. The future of inclusive mobility largely lies in the hands of electric mobility market players to leverage transportation that is pivotal to accessing societal benefits, including healthcare, education and employment. Stakeholders are redesigning infrastructure and boosting electric and autonomous vehicles and e-scooters. For instance, in June 2023, Citroën introduced a mobility solution, “Ami for All,” for people with lower limb disabilities. The project aims to restore autonomy with an e-mobility solution in which a wheelchair can be stored and is easy to drive.

Road Toward an Inclusive and Sustainable Future

The International Day of Persons with Disabilities moves closer toward a sustainable and transformative development on the inclusion of people with special needs. Stakeholders in the wheelchair market, stair lifts industry and foot and ankle devices have a huge responsibility to ensure disability-inclusive and sustainable peace. Persons with disabilities and organizations of persons with disabilities have the universal right to quality health services as they champion a change in society.