WHO donates 24 wheelchairs to Ethiopia during World Polio Day
WHO Ethiopia handed over 24 wheelchairs to Menagesha Cheshire Rehabilitation Center to improve rehabilitation services and support persons with disabilities.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Ethiopia handed over 24 wheelchairs to the Menagesha Cheshire Rehabilitation Center during the national World Polio Day commemoration on 24 October 2026. The donation aims to improve rehabilitation services and support persons living with disabilities in Ethiopia.
The wheelchair handover event included government officials, development partners, rehabilitation specialists, polio survivors, and community representatives. The donation consisted of eight pediatric wheelchairs, eight Roughrider wheelchairs, and eight rough terrain wheelchairs, valued at USD 8,300 (ETB 1,356,080). These devices will enhance mobility and independence for children and adults requiring assistive technology.
WHO has supported Ethiopia's rehabilitation sector by providing technical and financial assistance for wheelchair service and user training. The Menagesha Cheshire Rehabilitation Center has strengthened its capacity to manufacture and customise four types of wheelchairs locally, tailoring devices to users' functional needs and living conditions.
Dr Bejoy Nambiar, Health Policy and Systems Advisor at WHO Ethiopia, highlighted the importance of combining vaccination efforts with access to quality rehabilitation and assistive products. "A polio-free future is within our reach if we continue to invest in vaccines, surveillance, and strong health systems," he said.
The World Polio Day event featured a panel discussion and a testimony from Mrs Tigist Bezabih, a polio survivor who credited rehabilitation services and wheelchair support with transforming her life, improving her mobility, independence, and educational opportunities.
WHO emphasised that assistive products are essential tools that promote inclusion, education, employment, and quality of life. The organisation will continue to support Ethiopia in expanding access to assistive technologies and protecting children through immunisation.
Sources
Source: WHO Africa
