Some 30 members medical and non-medical staff dealing with prisoners with disabilities within the Georgian penitentiary system improved their knowledge on the practical implementation of the WHODAS 2.0 tool by attending two 2-day training sessions organised by the Council of Europe on 25-26 February and 11-12 April 2023.

They became better acquainted with the challenges of identifying and managing prisoners with disabilities and with the practical aspects of utilising the tool and using its interviewer administered version. The training programme also included modules on WHODAS 2.0 purpose and structure and conceptual background on its development. 

The instrument has proven useful for assessing health and disability levels in the general population and in specific groups. WHODAS 2.0 makes it easier to design health related interventions and to monitor their impact. To evaluate its practical use and applicability within the Georgian prison context, the tool will be piloted in few prisons before introducing it to the entire penitentiary system.

This training was conducted under the auspices of the Council of Europe project “Enhancing Healthcare Provision in Georgia’s Penitentiary System”, which is a part of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia 2020-2023.