DOHA, Qater, April 18: The Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) recently hosted the fifth Gulf Disability Week.

This event showcased the corporation’s rehabilitation units, various assistive technology and services being provided to disabled patients at Rumailah hospital.

Part of the week long programme was a workshop which saw participation from disabled people, which included expatriate workers from HMC’s hostel assisted living programme.

A presentation on the different assistive technologies and gadgets being used by Occupational Therapy Department was made by Alaa Al Sheikh, Occupational Therapist Specialist at HMC.

Al Sheikh showed how a disabled person could operate a computer at home or at work by modifying his or her surroundings and also by using specially manufactured key boards, mouse and other assistive technology readily available in the market.

A detailed presentation on the assistive technology being used in Speech Therapy was made by Basem Mousa. Mousa said that patients with communication problems due to various medical conditions have the potential to speak normally by using latest technology.

“We have many patients with autism, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, and other language disorders, all of which inhibit normal speaking and communication. We use speech therapy, which also incorporates the use of low and hi-end technologies for the person to be able to speak,” said Baseem Mousa.

Many of the patients who attended the day long workshop at HMC shared their experience of using assistive technology and gadgets. The general consensus was that even though the devises were extremely useful they were too costly and should be subsided by the government.

The fifth Gulf Disability Week was held under the aegis of the Gulf Disability Society and coordinated by the Ministry of Social Affairs, Mada Center for Assistive Technology and Rumailah Hospital.

Source: http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com