Smart mobile app for PWDs recognized

Manila, Philippines - In recognition of trailblazing efforts toward “walking free” of persons with disabilities (PWDs) through the nationwide ASCENT initiative, the Ateneo Java Wireless Competency Center (AJWCC) and Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) were awarded Outstanding Partners by Physicians for Peace (PfP-Philippines).

The Amputee Screening via CEllphone NeTworking (ASCENT) is a mobile application developed by AJWCC in 2010 in partnership with Smart, the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) and PfP-Philippines to make amputee screening accessible even for patients in far-flung communities. 

It has been deployed numerous times in various medical missions throughout the country.

The recent awarding ceremonies coincided with the celebration of the 34th National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Month.

“ASCENT is a very good example of how appropriate mobile technologies can be used for enabling communities for social development, in this case, for health profiling and service delivery,” said Ramon Isberto, Smart public affairs group head.

“We are proud to be the technology partner of the Physicians for Peace and we are happy to work with the academe,” he added.

“Recognizing AJWCC’s work in ASCENT is a great achievement for the center and the Ateneo Department of Information Systems and Computer Science. To be recognized as one of the best NGO partners is an affirmation of our commitment to be of service to communities beyond the confines of the school,” said Dr. Reena Estuar of AJWCC.

The AJWCC has been developing mobile applications since its establishment in 2003. 

“Frequent communication with those in the field and those using the app helped us get to where we are now. We are now working on the next phase of ASCENT,” said Estuar.

“A greater reward is if eventually, the technology becomes part of the natural workflow of the users,” she added.

As an example of its practical application, 28 more amputee patients were successfully screened for prosthesis fitting using the ASCENT mobile application in a recent medical mission in Barangay Talipapa, Quezon City.

The amputee screening and prosthesis fitting was organized by Alay Kay Inay ng Lungsod Quezon Foundation Inc., a non-government organization, for the national celebration of Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week.

Apart from Smart, the other partner organizations for the amputee screening are the UE Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Center (UERMMC), Philippine Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine (PARM), Akap Pinoy, the Quezon City government, and Barangay Talipapa.

Eight health professionals, including representatives from PARM, UERMMC and volunteers, screened the amputee patients.

ASCENT allows doctors to give real-time evaluation and advice on prosthesis use for amputees via the Smart mobile phone.

Through ASCENT, doctors and other health professionals can receive data, including photos of the amputee via GPRS/3G. The data are then sent via Smart mobile broadband to a website that can be accessed by volunteer doctors from Physicians for Peace (PfP-Philippines).

Prosthetic devices are one of the most important components of rehabilitation and support services for people with physical disabilities. In the Philippines, there are over a million amputee patients who are in need of these devices.

UP-PGH, in partnership with the Walking Free program of PfP Philippines, is addressing this growing demand by providing low-cost prosthetic limbs.