WHO estimates the value of the global AT market at between US$26 to US$31 billion, a figure that doubled over last 9 years [3]. According to various market research firms, the market for assistive products is expected to grow significantly over the coming years, with projections indicating year-on-year growth of about 7 to 10 per cent from 2024 to 2030 [4]. However, this figure underrepresents the demand in LMICs, where unmet needs are estimated to be tenfold larger than current demand.
LMICs are expected to drive significant growth in the AT market, propelled by an ageing population, the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases and a growing awareness among governments, donors and consumers about the benefits of AT. For instance, the WHO projects that by 2050, two thirds of the global population aged 60 and above will reside in LMICs [5]. Furthermore, non-communicable diseases disproportionately affect people in LMICs, where more than three quarters of the 31.4 million global deaths occur [6].
There exists a large gap between the global need for assistive products, the demand in LMICs and the current level of procurement in LMICs by governments, NGOs and social enterprises. Table 1 summarizes the estimates across the five product categories and highlights the significant gap between the need and nationally funded procurement of AT. NGOs, faith-based organizations and social enterprises aim to bridge this gap by providing assistive products to those in need.
Their efforts remain pivotal, but demand is highly influenced by funding constraints, the shifting priorities of global donors and alignment with national policy frameworks. This fragmented but growing demand underscores the need for strategic coordination and investment to address gaps in LMIC markets effectively.
17Table 1: Global need and current provision by NGOs, corporate foundations and social enterprises
Hearing aids
| Global need | 1.6 billion have hearing loss, with 430 million having moderate to severe loss |
| Unmet need | More than 80% lack access |
| LMIC procurement landscape | 45,000 units from major NGOs, corporate foundations, global procurement services, and surveyed governments |
| NGO procurement/ donation | Less than 5,000 units provided by NGOs (2023) |
| Corporate foundations procurement/donation | Over 4,000 units (2023) |
| Social enterprises procurement | NA |
| Global procurement service procurement | 15,000-20,000 units since 2022 |
| Government procurement (illustrative) |
|
Prostheses
| Global need | 65 million people live with amputations |
| Unmet need | More than 80% lack access |
| LMIC procurement landscape | High reliance on NGOs, around 25,000-30,000 units in total from major NGOs, social enterprises, and surveyed governments per year |
| NGO procurement/ donation | 22,376 units (2023) provided by ICRC |
| Corporate foundations procurement/donation | NA |
| Social enterprises procurement | NA |
Prostheses
| Global procurement service procurement | NA |
| Government procurement (illustrative) |
|
Wheelchairs
| Global need | 80 million people need wheelchairs |
| Unmet need | 65% to 95% lack access |
| LMIC procurement landscape | Over 150,000 units from major NGOs, social enterprises, global procurement services, and surveyed governments |
| NGO procurement/ donation | Over 100,000 units provided by large NGOs (2023) |
| Corporate foundations procurement/donation | NA |
| Social enterprises procurement | Over 15,000 units (2023) |
| Global procurement service procurement | Over 10,000 units since 2022 |
| Government procurement (illustrative) |
|
Smartphones (Digital AT)
| Global need | 1.3 billion persons with disabilities would benefit from digital AT |
| Unmet need | Smartphone ownership gap can range from 16% to up to 76% |
Smartphones (Digital AT)
| LMIC procurement landscape | 7 in 10 countries showing year-over-year growth above 2% in smartphone demand |
| NGO procurement/ donation | NA |
| Corporate foundations procurement/donation | NA |
| Social enterprises procurement | NA |
| Global procurement service procurement | NA |
| Government procurement (illustrative) | Georgia: 50 units (2021) |
Spectacles
| Global need | 2.6 billion people with myopia, 1.8 billion with presbyopia |
| Unmet need | 64% lack access |
| LMIC procurement landscape | 80% procurement through private sector, with 10-15 million served by NGOs and social enterprises |
| NGO procurement/ donation | 7 million units in 2023 provided by large NGOs; 11.5 million units expected in 2024 |
| Corporate foundations procurement/donation | 14 million units (2023) [7] |
| Social enterprises procurement | 2 million units (2023) |
| Global procurement service procurement | NA |
| Government procurement (illustrative) | Indonesia: 1.3 million units (2018) |
Despite the fast-growing needs in LMICs, several challenges continue to impede the effective provision of assistive products: