By Anan Geolengs
The Federal Government has commenced the development of Nigeria’s first National Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Strategic Plan to strengthen disability-inclusive healthcare and improve rehabilitation services nationwide.
The initiative was unveiled in Abuja on Tuesday during a three-day stakeholders’ meeting to review the zero draft of the National Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Strategic Plan.
The Director of Family Health Department, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Ahmed Ozi, in a welcome address, described the exercise as Nigeria’s first coordinated effort to establish a national rehabilitation and assistive technology framework.
Ozi said the strategic plan supports the ministry’s commitment to Universal Health Coverage by ensuring persons with disabilities receive equitable healthcare services.
He noted that the initiative aligns with World Health Organization, WHO, guidance on rehabilitation and disability-inclusive healthcare.
Ozi urged stakeholders to develop a practical roadmap capable of strengthening rehabilitation services and expanding access to assistive technology nationwide.
He stressed that disability could affect anyone at any stage of life, and called for greater empathy, protection and support for persons with disabilities.
According to him, the strategic plan will guide rehabilitation programmes and strengthen disability-inclusive health policies across Nigeria.
He acknowledged that the document remains a zero draft, and expressed confidence that stakeholder contributions would improve its quality.
He encouraged participants to contribute technical expertise toward producing a comprehensive and implementable national strategy.
Also speaking, the Registrar of the Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Registration Board of Nigeria, Prof. Rufai Ahmad, said the strategic plan represents Nigeria’s first coordinated national effort to establish a comprehensive rehabilitation framework.
He noted that the framework is designed to integrate rehabilitation into the country’s healthcare system, improve access to rehabilitation services at all levels of care, and expand the availability of assistive technology for persons with disabilities, older persons, and individuals recovering from injuries or chronic illnesses.
According to him, the strategic plan will address critical areas including rehabilitation financing, workforce development, assistive technology, service delivery, governance, monitoring and evaluation, as well as partnerships needed to ensure effective implementation.
Prof. Ahmad added that the stakeholders’ meeting provides an opportunity for experts, policymakers, development partners and professional bodies to review the zero draft and make contributions that will produce a robust, inclusive and implementable national policy capable of transforming rehabilitation services in Nigeria.
In his remarks, Head of the Georgia Society for Healthcare Engineers, GASHE, Dr. Umeh Sunday, said work on the national rehabilitation strategic plan had already commenced following the establishment of a Rehabilitation Technical Working Group by the ministry.
He said Nigeria previously lacked a federal rehabilitation policy, leaving states without a national framework for rehabilitation services.
Sunday noted that the strategy aligns with WHO Rehabilitation 2030 and the World Health Assembly Rehabilitation Strategy 2025-2035.
He described rehabilitation as an essential component of healthcare that should begin whenever patients require such services, and not only after treatment complications or failures occur.
He disclosed that the Technical Working Group conducted nationwide situational assessments using WHO guidance before drafting the strategy.
“Preliminary drafts have been prepared and are undergoing stakeholder review to reflect Nigeria’s rehabilitation priorities and healthcare realities,” Sunday said.
He said the workshop would refine the document ahead of endorsement, official launch and nationwide implementation, and urged participants to make meaningful contributions that would strengthen rehabilitation services across the country.
Also, the Regional Rehabilitation Consultant for Africa, Dr. Nassib Tawa, said nearly two years of preparation preceded the development of the strategic plan.
Tawa said the strategy builds on findings from a national situational assessment of rehabilitation services across Nigeria.
“The assessment identified major challenges, including the absence of a national rehabilitation policy and inadequate financing. It also revealed infrastructure deficits, limited clinical spaces and shortages of trained rehabilitation professionals nationwide,” he said.
According to him, one in five Nigerians could benefit from rehabilitation services or assistive products.
He noted that the government would prioritise realistic interventions achievable within the proposed five-year implementation period.
Tawa said the strategic plan would cover 2027 to 2031, and outline national priorities, objectives, vision, mission and implementation goals.
“Five technical task teams will review key workstreams before consolidating recommendations into the final draft. The strategy will promote a shared national understanding of quality rehabilitation benefiting every Nigerian requiring such services,” he said.
He added that the plan would strengthen partnerships, improve coordination and expand rehabilitation financing, infrastructure, workforce development and access to assistive technology nationwide.
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