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Good practice Imported

Sierra Leone's National Disability, Assistive Technology and Rehabilitation Technical Working Group (NDATR TWG)

Sierra Leone · Freetown · See the Sierra Leone profile · See the Freetown profile

Evidence: Observational / pre–post Top 10% 96/100 · Ask Evidence Copilot about this practice

A government-convened, multi-stakeholder working group produced Sierra Leone's first national assistive technology policy, strategy and product list, with its network effects independently measured before and after.

0.29 to 0.42 index
Network indegree (unweighted) (Dec 2021-Sept 2022)
5.12 to 7.51 index
Weighted network indegree (Dec 2021-Sept 2022)
0.23 to 0.38 index
Indegree for organisations of persons with disabilities (Dec 2021-Sept 2022)
27 representatives from 24 organisations
Working group membership (2021)
Sierra Leone's National Disability, Assistive Technology and Rehabilitation Technical Working Group (NDATR TWG)

Details

Maturity
Established
Promoter
Ministry of Health and Sanitation (Sierra Leone), Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), Global Disability Innovation Hub (AT2030 programme, funded by UK aid)
Period
Dec 2021 – Sept 2022 (evaluated); ongoing
Keywords
assistive technology, disability policy, health systems

Context

Sierra Leone had no national assistive technology (AT) policy prior to this initiative. Its Ministry of Health and Sanitation, supported by the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and the Global Disability Innovation Hub's UK aid-funded AT2030 programme, convened the National Disability, Assistive Technology and Rehabilitation Technical Working Group (NDATR TWG).

Objectives

The TWG aimed to build Sierra Leone's first national AT policy and strategy, its first Priority Assistive Technology Products List, and to strengthen collaboration among the country's AT stakeholders.

Activities

Over one year (Dec 2021-Sept 2022) the TWG brought together 27 representatives from 24 organisations -- international NGOs, disabled people's organisations, government ministries, service-delivery bodies and academic institutions -- in a consultative process that produced and launched the policy, strategy and product list in December 2021.

Results

A peer-reviewed pre/post study in the Journal of Global Health Reports found the stakeholder network's indegree rose from 0.29 to 0.42 and weighted indegree from 5.12 to 7.51 (both p<0.01); organisations of persons with disabilities saw the largest gain, from 0.23 to 0.38, indicating they were sought out more often by other stakeholders after the process.

Conclusions

The evidence covers network-connectivity and collaboration outcomes, not downstream service-delivery or user-reach figures; the policy and product list have been institutionalised within the Ministry as standing national instruments rather than one-off outputs.

Implementation
Indicative cost
Medium (€50k–€500k) — Cost not itemised in source; UK aid-funded AT2030 programme and CHAI provided technical support alongside government convening costs.
Time to results
Short (< 1 year) — One-year consultative process (Dec 2021-Sept 2022) producing the policy, strategy and product list; group's mandate continues on an ongoing basis.
Staffing & skills
Ministry of Health and Sanitation (Sierra Leone) secretariat, Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) technical support, Global Disability Innovation Hub / AT2030 programme (UK aid-funded) technical support, 27 representatives from 24 organisations (government, NGOs, DPOs, service-delivery bodies, academia)

Conditions for success

  • Government-convened, multi-stakeholder structure with a defined membership (24 organisations)
  • Inclusion of organisations of persons with disabilities (DPOs) as active participants, not just consultees
  • External technical/financial support (CHAI, AT2030/UK aid) alongside government ownership
  • A defined one-year consultative process culminating in launched national instruments (policy, strategy, product list)

Common failure modes

  • Published evidence covers network-connectivity/collaboration outcomes only; downstream service-delivery or user-reach effects are not yet measured

Where it fits

Governance type
national government-convened multi-stakeholder working group
Scale
national
Income level
low-income

Replication kit

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Data sources

Where this practice's information was retrieved from, and when.

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