Implementing WHO Learning on TAP: Lessons from Piloting TAP within Primary Health Care Systems in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Rwanda

The World Health Organization (WHO) Learning on TAP Training in Assistive Products  is an open access, online platform hosting modular courses on a range of health topics including assistive technology (AT) and sensory functions (eyes and ears). The training is delivered through a blended, self-paced learning approach. This learning paper examines implementation learnings and implications for scale up from three TAP pilots: 38 sites in Liberia (12), Rwanda (16), and Sierra Leone (10), distributing a total of 3,749 assistive products. The three pilots aimed to support training of primary and community-based healthcare workers on identification and provisions of AT

Early successes and key enablers of the TAP pilots include: 

• Primary health care and systems-level integration – TAP was most effective when embedded within existing health worker roles, service delivery pathways, and government systems, rather than delivered as a standalone intervention.
• Latent demand uncovered – demand rose sharply across pilot catchment areas once services and products became available, revealing substantial unmet and previously unidentified need for AT.
• Health worker capacity built – frontline workers gained awareness and foundational skills for AT screening, assessment, and basic provision.
• AT service coordination strengthened – TAP linked primary health workers with specialist expertise at higher-level facilities, supporting structured referral and mentorship relationships.
• Key implementation challenges and lessons learned indicate that effective implementation of TAP requires attention to:
• Product availability – training became overly theoretical and community trust was undermined where assistive products were unavailable or delayed.
• Digital literacy and connectivity – low digital literacy and unreliable connectivity slowed training set-up and limited the self-paced learning component.
• Training preparation and complexity – mentors had limited time to familiarise themselves with and contextualise the modules, and disability inclusion content was identified as a gap.
• Sustained mentorship and supervision – ongoing mentorship beyond one-off training was constrained by funding and mentor availability, limiting the sustainability of early gains.