Strengthening rehabilitation leadership (FS-05)

STRENGTHENING REHABILITATION LEADERSHIP IN LINE WITH WHO REHABILITATION 2030 AGENDA

Kleinitz P¹, Regenass T², Nindorera F³, Lippolis G⁴, Barth C⁵¹World Health Organisation, Rehabilitation Programme, Geneva, Switzerland, ²The ICRC MoveAbility Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland, ³Association pour la Promotion de l'Education et de la Formation à l'Etranger (APEFE), Bujumbura, Burundi, ⁴Humanity and Inclusion, Brussels, Belgium, ⁵International Committee of the Red Cross, Geneva, Switzerland Learning objectives: 1. To present the WHO Rehabilitation 2030 Call for Action and highlight the need for strengthening rehabilitation leadership in low and middle-income countries 2. To describe innovative practices from international organizations that are strengthening rehabilitation within health systems 3. To identify the strategic role physical therapists can play in rehabilitation leadership Description: Learning objective 1: To present the WHO Rehabilitation 2030 Call for Action and highlight the need for strengthening rehabilitation leadership in low and middle-income countries
Learning objective 2: To describe innovative practices from international organizations that are strengthening rehabilitation within health systems
Learning objective 3: To identify the strategic role physical therapists can play in rehabilitation leadership
Description: As populations age and the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases increases, and people live with the consequences of conflict and injury, health systems are challenged to expand access to quality rehabilitation services (1). Furthermore, as availability to health interventions expands towards universal health coverage, rehabilitation is often needed to maximize their impact and effectiveness (2). Most health systems in low and middle-income countries are currently ill-equipped to lead, develop and deliver rehabilitation services, and substantial rehabilitation needs are going unmet (3). The Rehabilitation 2030 initiative was launched by WHO in February 2017 and included a 'Call for Action' that identified ten areas for united action to reduce unmet needs for rehabilitation (4). Among these is the need to strengthen rehabilitation leadership and integrate rehabilitation across health systems. The Call for Action addresses chronic challenges experienced in many low and middle-income countries and is proving to be a catalyst for strengthening alignment and collaboration between governments, international organizations and practitioners at the regional and country-level.
Strong leadership and governance for rehabilitation is essential for driving progress in rehabilitation, however, in low and middle-income countries few governments have the technical and financial capacity to undertake this role, and research and evidence in this area remains limited. In response to this situation the WHO has developed a series of tools that support a standardized situation assessment of rehabilitation, and the development of a strategic plan and monitoring framework, including rehabilitation indicators that can be drawn from health information systems. These tools, and the guidance within the WHO Rehabilitation in Health Systems Guidelines (3), are being utilized by ministries of health with the support of international organizations.
This symposium will share a range of innovative practices from international organizations, including Humanity and Inclusion (HI), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the MoveAbility Foundation, and draw on good practice examples and its evidence from Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The examples include national rehabilitation situation assessment and strategic planning, long-term rehabilitation workforce and sector development, targeted assessment and support for rehabilitation financing, and the development of leadership capacity in physical therapists and their professional associations.
This session will consider the characteristics of successful approaches that strengthen rehabilitation and its leadership, and look ahead to suggest practices and research that address chronic challenges experienced in low and middle-income countries.
Implications / Conclusions: This symposium will highlight the WHO Rehabilitation 2030 Call for Action and importance of leadership when strengthening rehabilitation in low and middle-income countries. It will provide an opportunity for participants to identify successful characteristics and outcomes of international organization initiatives. The symposium will also consider what future steps and research should be taken to strengthen rehabilitation in low and middle-income countries. Implications/conclusions: This symposium will highlight the WHO Rehabilitation 2030 Call for Action and importance of leadership when strengthening rehabilitation in low and middle-income countries. It will provide an opportunity for participants to identify successful characteristics and outcomes of international organization initiatives. The symposium will also consider what future steps and research should be taken to strengthen rehabilitation in low and middle-income countries. Key-words: 1. rehabilitation, 2. global health 3. health systems Funding acknowledgements: None Applicable