Access to comprehensive, quality health care services is important in promoting and maintaining health, reducing disability and death. But this is sometimes not possible because of barriers like race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, sex, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and residential location. Although UYO is not involved in direct provision of medical care, it uses community volunteers to conduct in-depth need assessments to identify real needs in each community. Guided by the results of the need assessment, UYO uses its established collaboration with health services and other public and private organizations to bring services to these communities in need. In this area, emphasis is on a community-based approach through the use of a mobile service delivery team. Based on the context, individuals are supported to have access to health insurance coverage which helps reduce the burden of health care.
Our rehabilitation intervention
The World Health Organization defines rehabilitation as “a set of measures that assist individuals who experience, or are likely to experience disability to achieve and maintain optimal functioning in interaction with their environments”. At UYO, we partner with local and international organizations to provide education in communities and institutions of learning on disease conditions and actions which can bring about disabilities and poor mental health. During sensitization campaigns, the population is screened and those at risk are linked to required support services. When cases of disabilities are identified, UYO works with the individual and their families to ensure they can access services in a supportive environment. This is done by helping people manage long-term, often-complex health problems and injuries in order to improve their ability to function, their quality of life and their life expectancy.
In many low-income and middle-income countries, only 5-15% of people who require assistive devices and technologies have access to them. Through our partnerships with other organizations, Persons with disabilities have access to Assistive devices and technologies (wheelchairs, walking sticks, prostheses, hearings aids, visual aids, specialized computer software and hardware that increase mobility, hearing, vision, or communication capacities, etc.) to enable them maintain or improve their individual functioning and independence with the goal to facilitate participation and enhance overall well-being. We also help to prevent impairments and secondary health conditions.