Program Management, Coordination, and Support in implementation of Assistive Technology (AT) activities to the Ministry of Health, Government of Kenya (2022-2025)

Background:

ATscale is a cross-sector partnership that brings new energy and strategic focus to a significant global challenge: increasing the availability of and access to affordable and appropriate Assistive Technology (AT). ATscale is hosted by UNOPS, which provides its legal entity and disbursement framework, regulations, and policies. Increased access to Assistive Technology is critical to achieving many global commitments, including universal health coverage, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), and the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

ATscale’s goal is to reach an additional 500 million more people globally with life-changing Assistive Technology (AT) by 2030. The partnership seeks to harness civil society, governments, development partners, and the private sector to catalyze the optimal use of much-needed resources.

Country Support :

In addition to supporting interventions at the global level that may benefit all countries, ATscale also aims to provide in-country catalytic funding to increase access to AT sustainably. The focus is to partner with governments - across multiple sectors - and key in-country partners, including organizations of people living with disabilities, to support comprehensive and integrated national plans that aim to increase access to Assistive Technology (AT). ATscale support must be seen as a complementary source of support, alongside domestic resources and other funding. In line with our overall strategic objectives, support from ATscale is focused on:

1. Addressing enabling ecosystem barriers through interventions aiming at, for example, raising awareness at political and governance levels; strengthening policy and financing mechanisms; strengthening HR capacity, service provision, supply chain, data and information systems; etc.

2. Specific interventions focused on market-shaping, local production or assembly, increasing demand for a particular product, public-private partnerships for improving supply chain and service delivery, scaling up innovations, etc.

The government of Kenya and ATscale mutually expressed interest in partnering to advance the common goal of increasing access to Assistive Technology (AT) for those who need it. The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Welfare, organized a series of consultations with country stakeholders, including related government agencies, WHO, UNICEF, INGOs, and OPDs. Priorities were articulated and submitted as a concept note to ATscale. After a rigorous review, ATscale Board approved USD 7.5 million for three years as an initial investment in Kenya against the concept note.

ATscale now invites in-country non-government or UN agencies to provide program management and coordination support for three years (2022-2025) to the Ministry of Health, Government of Kenya to support the implementation of the concept note.