Motivation Australia is leading on a feasibility study to explore options for improving procurement of assistive products in the Pacific Region. Partnering with the Pacific Disability Forum and the Nossal Institute for Global Health, we will be speaking with stakeholders from across the Region.
Procurement of assistive products includes identifying what is needed, finding reliable suppliers, assessing and comparing different options, ordering, receiving and storing the products; which can then be provided to those who need them through local services.
At the moment, there is limited access to even the most basic assistive products, and one of the big challenges is procurement. Problems include there not being enough information for people to know what to procure and from which suppliers, limited budgets, a lack of consistent products standards, long lead times in delivery and often when products do arrive they are not suitable for the Pacific Island environment.
Through this Study, we hope to raise awareness amongst policy makers in the Region about the need for assistive products, and present some feasible options that could address these challenges.
Commissioned by the Western Pacific Regional Office of the World Health Organisation after procurement was raised by Motivation Australia and the Pacific Disability Forum as a key issue in the Region; the study is funded by the Australian Government, representing one of the commitments made by Australia at the 2018 Global Disability Summit.