Table 2: Cambodian Government procurement volume and pricing information (2023)
| Wheelchairs | Prostheses | Protective pads | Walking sticks and seating systems | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volume (units) | 1,540 | 4,257 | 3,917 | 5,676 |
| Price 1 (US$) | 195 – 320 | 120 – 585 | N/A | 46 – 57 |
1. Prices were last updated in 2016, with plans for a capacity assessment of component factories and workshops that may lead to price revisions. Partner NGOs can access lower discretionary prices and place export orders to neighbouring countries. ↩︎
The Several Opinions of the State Council on Accelerating the Development of the Rehabilitation Assistive Devices Industry, State Issue [2016] No. 60 is the core national- level document guiding the development of China’s assistive products industry and the product provision in China [3]. Under the guidance of the document, the Ministry of Civil Affairs published the updated China Catalogue of Rehabilitation Assistive Devices [2023 Edition] in November 2023 [4]. Hearing aids, prostheses and wheelchairs are all included in the catalogue, but spectacles for myopia and presbyopia are not classified as assistive products in China.
Table 3: Examples of China national quality standards
8China generally has import duty, VAT and consumption tax exemption policies for AT for use by persons with disabilities. For example, according to China’s most updated VAT law published in 2024, products imported directly by organizations for the disabled and intended for exclusive use by the disabled are exempt from VAT [8]. For import duties, the policies have slight differences depending on the products:
The 14th Five-Year Plan for the Protection and Development of Persons with Disabilities (State Issue [2021] No.10) states that, if budget permits, regional governments should provide subsidies for basic AT to persons with disabilities who face financial difficulties or have severe disability conditions [12]. Under the policy guidance, all provinces across China provide a certain level of AT subsidies. Subsidies mainly focus on low-income and severely disabled individuals, with some regions prioritizing students or elderly.
In addition, for certain groups like disabled servicemen, China’s “Regulations on Subsidies and Benefits for Military Serviceman [2024] No.788” stated that if AT such as hearing aids, wheelchairs and prostheses are needed for them, the government should provide financial support [13]. The Ministry of Veterans Affairs further developed the “Measures for the Provision of Rehabilitation Assistive Devices for Disabled Servicemen [2025] No.4" and “Catalogue of Rehabilitation Assistive Devices for Disabled Servicemen" [14] [15]. This policy clearly states that the provincial government should cover the cost for all the 128 products listed in the catalogue for disabled servicemen.
Table 4: Ethiopia procurement of assistive products by NGOs
14No national strategic national plan or guiding document regarding AT.
Table 5: Requirements by the Georgia Ministry’s State Programme for licensed providers
The Ministry of Health oversees most AT procurement.
16 17In addition to general quality management, specific standards apply to different AT:
18In India, import of assistive products is regulated by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, and Central Drugs Standard Control Organization for medical devices. Basic customs duty is approximately 7.5-10 per cent for wheelchairs, prostheses, and hearing aids, and approximately 10 per cent for spectacles and digital AT, varying based on specific product code. The Integrated Goods and Services Tax is set at 5 per cent for specified assistive devices, rehabilitation aids and other goods for differently abled people [16]. The Social Welfare Surcharge is set at 10 per cent of the basic customs duty for all types of AT. Certain AT may qualify for duty exemptions or reductions under specific conditions or for charitable purposes.
Wheelchairs, prostheses and hearing aids are provided for free by the government, under the ADIP Scheme. 2 Spectacles are also provided for free by the government under the NPCBVI Scheme. Some digital AT, such as accessible software, can be provided through government initiatives. Several NGOs also play an important role in providing assistive products for free through donation or specialized programmes.
Table 6: Previous procurement in India
20Table 7: National Health Insurance coverage of AT in Indonesia
| Ministry of Health | Oversees the policies, regulations and supervision of AT |
| National Council for Persons with Disabilities | Responsible for assistive service delivery |
Source: CHAI, WHO AT Assessment on Capacity (ATA-C, 2020)
27Table 10: Assistive products donated by NGOs and charities in Rwanda (2015-2018)
31National standards are set for wheelchairs, spectacles, hearing aids, and digital AT under the Standardization of Provision of Assistive Devices in South Africa. Health professional council of South Africa (HPCSA) Clinical Guidelines for Dispensing Eyeglasses provide guidelines for dispensing and provision of spectacles. Ear and hearing health care is also currently guided by HPCSA guidelines [17]. No guidelines for prostheses.
Table 11: Main models of assistive products distributed in Zambia (2018-2021)
35Table 12: Range of product costs per unit in Zambia procurements
| Product type | Crutches | Walking frames | Prostheses | Wheelchair | White canes |
| Price range (US$) | 45-70 | 30-45 | 400-1,500 | 300-900 | 70-100 |
[1] China Association of Assistive Products (2021). Blue Book on the Development of China's Rehabilitation and Assistive Device Industry. China Association of Assistive Products. ↩︎
[2] Ministry of Civil Affairs (2020). Notice on Issuing the List of Policy Measures to Support the National Comprehensive Innovation Pilot Program for the Rehabilitation Assistive Devices Industry. Ministry of Civil Affairs. https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2021- 01/18/content_5580778.htm ↩︎
[3] State Council (2016). Several Opinions of the State Council on Accelerating the Development of the Rehabilitation Assistive Devices Industry, State Issue [2016] No. 60. State Council. https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2016-10/27/content_5125001.htm ↩︎
[4] Ministry of Civil Affairs of the People's Republic of China (2023). China Catalogue of Rehabilitation Assistive Products (2023 Edition). Ministry of Civil Affairs of the People's Republic of China. https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.quannan.gov.c n%2Fqnxxxgk%2Fqn8515%2F202312%2Ff793fb50128b491d84772a58cf09b1d6%2Ffiles%2F35 763148012f4a1ca60069d11342aa2f.doc&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK ↩︎
[5] State Council (2019). Opinions of the General Office of the State Council on Promoting the Development of Elderly Care Services, State Issue [2019] No.5. State Council. https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2019-04/16/content_5383270.htm ↩︎
[6] The National Development and Reform Commission (2019). Action Outline for Promoting High-Quality Development of the Health Industry [2019-2022]. The National Development and Reform Commission. https://www.gov.cn/xinwen/2019- 09/30/content_5435160.htm ↩︎
[7] State Council (2024). Opinions of the General Office of the State Council on Developing the Silver Economy and Enhancing the Well-being of the Elderly, State Issue [2024] No.1. State Council. https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/202401/content_6926088.htm. ↩︎
[8] Xinhua News Agency (2024). Value-Added Tax Law of the People's Republic of China. Xinhua News Agency. https://www.gov.cn/yaowen/liebiao/202412/content_6994557.htm ↩︎
[9] General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (1997). Interim Provisions on the Exemption of Import Duties for Special Articles for Persons with Disabilities. General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China. http://www.customs.gov.cn/customs/302249/302266/302267/356587/index.html ↩︎
[10] Economic Daily (2020). Provisional import tax rates lower than the Most-Favored- Nation (MFN) rates will be implemented for 883 items. Economic Daily. https://www.gov.cn/xinwen/2020-12/24/content_5572889.htm ↩︎
[11] General Administration of Customs. https://online.customs.gov.cn/ociswebserver/pages/jckspsl/index.html ↩︎
[12] State Council (2021). 14th Five-Year Plan for the Protection and Development of Persons with Disabilities (State Issue [2021] No.10). State Council. https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2021-07/21/content_5626391.htm ↩︎
[13] State Council and Central Military Commission (2024). Regulations on Pensions and Preferential Treatment for Servicemen. State Council and Central Military Commission. https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/202408/content_6968087.htm ↩︎
[14] Ministry of Veteran Affairs (2025). Notice by the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, and the China Disabled Persons’ Federation on Issuing the Measures for the Provision of Rehabilitation Assistive Devices for Disabled Servicemen. Ministry of Veteran Affairs. https://www.mva.gov.cn/gongkai/zfxxgkpt/zhengce/gfxwj/202502/t20250206_465569.ht ml ↩︎
[15] Ministry of Veteran Affairs (2025). Catalogue of Rehabilitation Assistive Devices for Disabled Servicemen. https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mva.gov.cn%2 Fgongkai%2Fzfxxgkpt%2Fzhengce%2Fgfxwj%2F202502%2FP020250206372440371699.docx& wdOrigin=BROWSELINK ↩︎
[16] Ministry of Finance, Government of India (2017). GST exemption for products used by differently abled people. Government of India. https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=168575 ↩︎