Launched in late 2020, ReLAB-HS is a comprehensive five-year program that will respond to the escalating need for physical rehabilitation services in low- and middle-income countries.
We will work across all levels of the health system, building technical, policy and research capacity; increasing political commitment; and inspiring leadership. ReLAB-HS will use new technology and support simple, low-cost service delivery models that expand access to rehabilitation in the home and community – where it is needed most.
A commitment to generating evidence and sharing learning is at the heart of ReLAB-HS. Our approach is participatory, involving end users, including people with disabilities and those who have sustained injuries in conflict-affected settings.
Initially, we will work in four countries: Burma, Pakistan, Uganda and Ukraine. Led by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s International Injury Research Unit (JH-IIRU) and co-led by the Nossal Institute for Global Health at the University of Melbourne (Nossal), the ReLAB-HS consortium is made up of six international partners with expertise in health systems, implementation science, and delivery innovations. Along with JH-IIRU and Nossal, consortium partners are Humanity & Inclusion, MiracleFeet, Momentum Wheels for Humanity, and Physiopedia.
This is a new USAID award financed through the Leahy War Victims Fund (LWVF).
ReLAB-HS is a uniquely talented international consortium made up of six partner organizations. Together, they have considerable expertise in health systems, innovation in rehabilitation service delivery and implementation science, gained from working in over 70 countries.