UAE Ahead In Offering Better Mobility Technology For People Of Determination
Cars modification and designing of wheelchairs and allevators to help People of Determination move in and out of their homes
Moving in and out of the homes is no longer a problem for People of Determination in the UAE, which is ahead of several other countries in offering better mobility technology for People of Determination. A private national company in the Arab world’s second biggest economy has innovated a number of solutions to help People of Determination move around and become self-reliant with better mobility to enable them become one of the community’s productive segements and contribute to nation-building.
Manafeth, established in 2014, has at the core of its objectives manufacturing, innovating and modifing all basic tools and aids that facilitates life for this vital segment of the community whose numbers in the Middle East is 50 million.
Fahed Abdullah, Founder and Managing Director of Manafeth, a medical company, said: “Our products are specifically dedicated to People of Determination. These products help them move around and facilitate their mobility from one place to another. This includes wheelchairs fixed to cars, depending on their models. The mobile electric bases help People of Determination to move around freely. Our products also include mobile elevators to help People of Determination enter and exit the desired locations. We also have wheelchairs to help them climb staircases and assistive devices to help them drive their cars.”
He added: “We are currently introducing modern technologies to help People of Determination drive regardless of the severity of their disabilities by designing and manufacturing aids that fit all car models and segments according to engineering studies that have been recognised by leading global car manufacturers.”
Fahed added: “We have big goals to better the lives of People of Determination as we are working to contribute to their inclusion and participation in the community with the support of a number of technicians, all well-trained by the best Italian companies supplying these technologies.”
Speaking in his capacity as a Member of the Medical Committee of the General Headquarters of Abu Dhabi Police, the official authority documenting and assessing the health conditions of individuals to grant them driving licenses, he said: “Through working with the Medical Committee, I noticed an utter lack of disability tools in the UAE. This is an area that needs to be developed in terms of already existing equipment and also in terms of innovating devices that improve and facilitate the lives of People of Determination.”
He added: “ In the UAE, we are ahead in the field of disability compared to countries of the region, but we want to benchmark ourselves against the developed countries as the official authorities stress the importance of integrating them in the community and making use of their expertise, while also encouraging them, developing their skills and exploring their talents.”
Fahed emphasized: “There is hardly a family without a disabled, sick or elderly member. These is a shortage in local industries pertaining to this segment. There is a limited number of national companies, but they do not have variety and do not have local management to manage these companies as is the case for us. We are characterised by being a national company with a national management that is working to innovate modern and advanced tools with a national touch when it comes to manufacturing and innovation.”
Speaking about the company’s future projects, he said: “We are currently studying with the Department of Transport in Abu Dhabi and Dubai’s Rashid Hospital to create an advanced mechanism to classify physical disabilities and to inform the community of available mobility and driving solutions, in addition to assessing the physical and mental condition of a given case by rehabilitation centres, state hospitals and car-driving schools. Rehabilitation centres and car-driving centres are amongst the most contacted places in terms of inquiries made by people of determination, who wish and aspire to move around by driving, and who have the intention to apply the highest standards and practices applied in leading countries. For our part, we are keen to update their tools and help them acquire their full mobility rights like the other healthy members of the community.”
Fahed said all Manafeth’s equipment and innovations will be showcased in AccessAbilities Expo 2019, side by side with physical disability assessment means and driving solutions for all kinds of physical disabilities, as participation in this event provides an opportunity to meet all participating government authorities to inform them of the latest innovations and technology breakthroughs that are new to the Gulf region. It is also an opportunity to look for strategic partners to contribute to the advance and development of people of determination.
