Cascading WHO rehabilitation 2030 initiative at Karnali is aimed to strengthen quality, access and sustainability of rehabilitation through health system strengthening approach. Additionally, to provide strategic guidance to health officials of Karnali province for the planning and implementation of key rehabilitation activities.
Technical working group (TWG) under the leadership of health chief of Ministry of Social Development, Karnali was formulated. TWG comprised of health and rehabilitation professionals representing Nepal physiotherapy association, USAID Physical Rehabilitation Activity, WHO Nepal, National Federation of Disabled Nepal, USAID Nepal, Health Directorate, Rehabilitation Centers of Karnali. This team developed Karnali's provincial rehabilitation strategic plan after a series of TWG meetings, with final approval of the document by the Hon'ble Minister of Karnali province.
The Rehabilitation 2030 initiative demonstrated the establishment of physiotherapy unit in the district hospitals of Karnali province which provided physiotherapy services to 27,412 service users as reported in rehabilitation module of District Health Information system (DHIS2, 2021-2024). Rehabilitation was included in the agenda of the annual provincial health review meetings. The Karnali provincial health authority allocated funds annually for physiotherapist salaries at district hospitals and assigned a budget to establish the first prosthetics and orthotics unit at Karnali Provincial Hospital. Likewise, provincial rehabilitation strategic plan of Karnali is generating a thrust to implement rehabilitation activities in Karnali province.
The health system approach to rehabilitation, grounded on the WHO rehabilitation 2030 initiative, has been implemented at the subnational level in Karnali province which has increased the access of rehabilitation and promoted the standardized recording and reporting of the rehabilitation service in DHIS2 software.
Cascading the implementation of the WHO Rehabilitation 2030 initiative at the sub-national level will provide strategic direction to policy makers to strengthen rehabilitation. This gives a ray of hope to many people in the area with the rehabilitation needs. The provincial rehabilitation strategic plan will further leverage rehabilitation particularly at the primary health. This experience in Nepal also shows support from the federal government and ownership of the sub-national, Karnali government which can quickly transform the rehabilitation landscape.
Health System Strengthening
Sub national level
