Improving Access to Assistive Technology for People of Nepal

Research Objectives: The purpose of the priority assistive product list is to enable the Ministry of Health and its multi-sectoral partners in planning the delivery of services related to assistive products.

Design: A template survey was carried out to collect data from all possible stakeholders. While the baseline data was primarily on mobility, the methodology collected information on assistive products for other impairments as well.

Setting: A technical working group on assistive technology was formed by leprosy control and disability management section to prepare the priority assistive products list of Nepal. Coordinated by the Ministry of Health and Population, the group included consultants from WHO, experts from Non-Governmental Organizations, rehabilitation centers and disable people organizations (DPOs).

Participants: A consultative workshop was held inviting 63 DPOs, service providers, professional organisations, hospitals, rehabilitation centres, and draft was shared.

Interventions: A stakeholder group meeting in August 2017 in Kathmandu strongly recommended a national priority list of assistive devices.

Main Outcome Measures: This is a guiding document that provides service delivery options, including road map to integrate services within the existing health care systems in Nepal. This list also fulfills the existing gap of country-specific priority assistive product list with standers and price in line with the Global Assistive Products list.

Results: This list is the first step for reaching the objective of good quality assistive product provision for all the population including the most vulnerable ones in Nepal.

Conclusions: The assistive product list is a component of the Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology (GATE). To effectively deliver the assistive products, the policy should aim to improving the availability and access to the products.

Author(s) Disclosures: The author declares no conflict of interest.