Ensuring health facilities are accessible for all

Sightsavers’ accessibility standards and audit pack offers guidance to governments, healthcare providers and other organisations on how to improve healthcare facilities in low and middle income settings.

The accessibility standards and audit pack can be used to help develop national accessibility standards, assess existing health infrastructure and guide the development of new health facilities.

The pack provides step-by-step guidance on how to plan, train a team and undertake an audit, then report on and implement improvements. It offers best-practice guidance to ensure a facility is accessible, alongside simple diagrams and photographic examples.

The project was initiated and developed by Andrea Pregel, Sightsavers’ programme advisor for social inclusion and disability, with contributions from Karen Smith, senior monitoring evaluation and learning advisor at Sightsavers. It was designed and produced by Sightsavers’ online and design team.

For more information, or if you’d like to receive a physical version of the pack, email Andrea Pregel, [email protected].

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Conducting an accessibility audit of a health facility

A group of people wearing PPE prepare for an accessibility audit at a hospital in Malawi.

Train a team and plan the audit

Organise a training workshop to plan the audit with practical exercises, and ensure minimum disruption to the facilities’ services.

A man measures the depth of some steps during an accessibility audit.

Carry out the audit

Ask managers to sign a consent form. Work through the checklist as you go around the facility, recording any improvements required.

Daniel sits at a desk in a classroom. He is wearing a face mask and working on a laptop.

Draft a report and assign scores

After the audit, reflect on positive aspects and potential challenges, draft a report and assign an accessibility score.

Monze Mission Hospital, Monze, Southern Province, Zambia.

Carry out improvements

Obtain cost estimates for each adjustment. Once all partners agree on priorities and funding, improvements to the building can start.

Our approach to inclusive health

Sightsavers promotes inclusive health because we believe that everyone, wherever they live, should be able to receive quality, affordable health care.

We want to make sure that effective, affordable, accessible health services are available for everyone, particularly women, people with disabilities, and other marginalised groups.

Find out more about Sightsavers’ inclusive health work.

The Sightsavers-supported Inclusive Futures initiative has also produced some practical guidance to help leaders, HR executives and property managers foster inclusive workspaces.

Discover more ways to make your work inclusive

Read our accessibility pack

We protect sight, fight disease and make sure everyone can claim their rights.

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Ensuring health facilities are accessible for all

Sightsavers’ accessibility standards and audit pack offers guidance to governments, healthcare providers and other organisations on how to improve healthcare facilities in low and middle income settings.

The accessibility standards and audit pack can be used to help develop national accessibility standards, assess existing health infrastructure and guide the development of new health facilities.

Download a copy of the pack