In July 2023, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uganda, with support from Learning, Acting, and Building for Rehabilitation in Health Systems (ReLAB-HS) conducted a national rapid Assistive Technology Assessment (rATA) household survey to measure access to and uptake of quality and affordable assistive technology (AT). This brief highlights current met and unmet […]
The rising need for rehabilitation and assistive technology (AT) services is urgent among vulnerable populations in low- and middle-income countries. Recognizing this, Burma was chosen as one of four key countries for the Learning, Acting, and Building for Rehabilitation in Health Systems (ReLAB-HS) initiative. Through ReLAB-HS, innovative, context-sensitive, and cost-effective solutions are being developed and […]
ReLAB-HS focuses on integrating rehabilitation services into primary health care (PHC). Despite the global commitment to achieve Universal Health Coverage, there is an unmet need for rehabilitation and assistive technology (AT) services. The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes the integration of rehabilitation into health systems to address this unmet need. In Uganda, PHC is overstretched […]
Despite some financial allocations and social security initiatives for assistive technologies (AT) in Pakistan, 94% of AT users pay out of pocket. This results in a substantial unmet need for assistive products (APs) among individuals with rehabilitation needs. The existing reimbursement mechanisms for APs are limited to relatively few individuals, mostly working with and for […]
In Pakistan, there is a notable lack of regulations on the quality of assistive products (APs) and assistive technology (AT) services. The absence of comprehensive quality standards and regulatory mechanisms results in the provision of sub-standard products and services, leading to ineffective products, dissatisfaction among users, product abandonment, and even harm to the health and […]
This policy brief provides a comprehensive overview of the basic wheelchair service training conducted by Learning, Acting, and Building for Rehabilitation in Health Systems (ReLAB-HS) and advocates for the strategic integration of wheelchair service training (from basic to advanced) into university curricula to address the global need for skilled wheelchair service providers. The recommendations in […]
ReLAB-HS works to identify effective, scalable approaches for integrating rehabilitation and AT into health systems. In Burma, ReLAB-HS facilitated interviews and reflections using a good practice case study approach adapted from the Most Significant Change and the Framework Method to explore activities or initiatives working to improve the access of persons in need of rehabilitation […]
Uganda has a long legacy of supporting clubfoot treatment. The current clubfoot treatment program is the National Clubfoot Programme of Uganda (NCPU), which began in 2017 and aimed to revitalize clubfoot treatment through strong integration into the health system. To learn from the NCPU and how it is integrated into Uganda’s health system, ReLAB-HS conducted […]
ReLAB-HS completed activities in Burma in September 2023. While working in a challenging setting affected by political instability and conflict, ReLAB-HS made important progress in advancing the rehabilitation agenda in Burma since its launch in June 2021. Working with local stakeholders, ReLAB-HS identified opportunities to strengthen rehabilitation and AT services in the country’s informal health […]
This comprehensive Guidance Note highlights the significance of the World Health Assembly (WHA) Resolution “Strengthening rehabilitation in health systems” which outlines commitments for Member States, WHO, and stakeholders to improve access to rehabilitation services. This Guidance Note has been developed to facilitate the translation of the WHA Resolution into action through local and national advocacy […]
This document discusses the pressing need for rehabilitation and assistive technology (AT) services, particularly in low- and middle-income countries and conflict-affected areas. The five-year global initiative, Learning, Acting, and Building for Rehabilitation in Health Systems (ReLAB-HS), funded by USAID, focuses on addressing this need in Pakistan. Pakistan’s health system, burdened with challenges, struggles to meet […]
Rehabilitation, encompassing essential components such as assistive technology (AT), is a critical yet overlooked facet of Pakistan’s health system. Despite approximately 47 million people facing health conditions that could benefit from rehabilitation, it is inadequately prioritized. This study by Learning, Acting, and Building for Rehabilitation in Health Systems (ReLAB-HS) delves into the socioeconomic and political […]
On September 21, 2023, at the United Nations High-Level Meeting, world leaders adopted a new Political Declaration on Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Despite contentious geopolitical issues interfering with negotiations and threatening its adoption, United Nations Member States reached consensus on the declaration, demonstrating the political will to work toward realizing the right to health for […]
This policy brief by Learning, Acting, and Building for Rehabilitation in Health Systems (ReLAB-HS) addresses the urgent need for accessible rehabilitation and assistive technology in Uganda. Despite being a priority, rehabilitation services remain underfunded. The study conducted qualitative analysis through document reviews and key informant interviews to understand the challenges and identify strategies for elevating […]
[updated 19 Sep. 2024] The need for accessible rehabilitation and assistive technology services is urgent and growing in Uganda. As in many low-income countries, Uganda is struggling to implement World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for establishing rehabilitation and assistive technology as essential components of quality health services within the framework of universal health coverage. Meanwhile, […]
Technologies such as tablet-based assessment tools, centralized databases, and tools for supported decision-making are playing an important role in many community interventions, including health, rehabilitation, and inclusive development. The use of technological innovations for physical rehabilitation in low-resource settings is an under-researched area. One encouraging example is the use of an innovative digital technology to […]
By Rosemary Morgan, Lillian Asiimwe, Amanda L. Ager, Zuhra Haq, Linda Thumba and Diana Shcherbinina Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV)—both during times of war and peace—can have impactful negative social and health outcomes. Reports of rape being used as an act of war in Ukraine are drawing global attention to the need for specialized care for […]
Learning, Acting, and Building for Rehabilitation in Health Systems is designed to drive change in the physical rehabilitation sector, maximize opportunities for integrating rehabilitation in health systems, and respond to the growing need for rehabilitation and AT. It consists of six international partners with expertise in health systems, implementation science, and service delivery innovations.
Gender shapes access, use, adherence and outcomes of rehabilitation services. Available evidence describes lower participation rates, worse rehabilitation outcomes, and a disproportionate burden of caregiving among women and girls compared to men and boys. From what very limited data is available, gender minorities’ experience of accessing health shows frequent exposure to stigma and discrimination, and […]
Sex and gender matter in interventions and research for rehabilitation within health systems because females, males, and intersex people have different biologies—and women, men, and gender minorities have different gendered social experiences—that affect their health behaviours, opportunities, and outcomes.
