Rehabilitation 2030

Meeting report,
report, Geneva,
Geneva,Switzerland,
Switzerland,
10 - 11 July 2023
2023
Rehabilitation 2030
Meeting report, Geneva, Switzerland,
10 - 11 July 2023
Rehabilitation 2030: meeting report, Geneva, Switzerland, 10 – 11 July 2023
ISBN 978–92–4-008739–2 (electronic version)
ISBN 978–92–4-008740–8 (print version)
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Contents

Acknowledgements iv

Executive summary v

1 Introduction 1

2 Emergencies (Preparedness, response and recovery) 10

3 Health financing and service delivery 14

4 Workforce 21

5 Health information systems 25

6 Technical breakout rooms 29

7 Advocating for rehabilitation 38

8 Important links and related resources 44

Annex 1: List of participants 45

Annex 2: Agenda 59

iii
Acknowledgements

The 3rd Global Rehabilitation 2030 meeting took place on 10 and 11 July, organized by the
World Health Organization (WHO).

WHO would like to sincerely thank all those who supported the meeting preparations,
and those who participated at the event, including: representatives from Member States,
rehabilitation service user groups, nongovernmental organizations and civil society, funding
bodies, international professional associations, research institutions, United Nations agencies
and other multilateral organizations, as well as WHO colleagues.

Moderators and speakers

The knowledge, expertise and experiences shared by the meeting moderators and speakers
was greatly appreciated. Please refer to Annex 2 for the full list of moderators and speakers of
the meeting.

WHO Secretariat
The following WHO Secretariat supported the meeting preparation, logistics and coordination:
Mr Abey Bekele Abebe, Ms Carolina Belinchon, Mr Francois Borrel, Mr Sandy Burtin, Dr Shelly
Chadha, Ms Jiemei Chan, Mr Robin Chasserot, Dr Alarcos Cieza, Ms Nicoletta De Lissandri, Mr
Zelalem Dessalgn Demeke, Ms Patricia Durand Stimpson, Dr Antony Duttine, Mr Chadi Fayad,
Mr Luke Fountain, Dr Wouter de Groote, Dr Yasaman Etemadi, Ms Hayatee Hasan, Dr Pauline
Kleinitz, Ms Elanie Marks, Dr Bente Mikkelsen, Dr Jody-Anne Mills, Dr Pallavi Mishra, Mr Jose-
luis Perez Garcia, Mr Jan Pohancanik, Dr Alexandra Rauch, Mr Peter Skelton, Ms Arveen Sodhi,
Ms Susan Spackman, Mr Carlos Johan Streijffert, and Dr Abena Tannor.

iv
Executive summary

The 3rd Global Rehabilitation 2030 meeting marked the 6th anniversary of the Rehabilitation
2030: Call for action, an initiative launched in 2017 in response to the estimated 2.4 billion
people (1 in 3) in need of rehabilitation. Rehabilitation 2030 envisions a world in which everyone
who needs rehabilitation receives quality, timely and affordable services. To achieve this, it
calls for coordinated action from all stakeholders to bolster rehabilitation within broader health
system strengthening efforts, as an integral component of universal health coverage.

Significant strides have been made in the rehabilitation sector in recent years, encompassing
evidence generation, capacity building and country support. During the meeting,
representatives from over 21 countries shared their experiences and lessons learned in this
journey. Notably, the strong and united global effort across stakeholder groups, sectors,
and rehabilitation professions has culminated in the historic adoption of the resolution
‘Strengthening rehabilitation in health systems’ (WHA76.6) at the Seventy-sixth World Health
Assembly in Geneva in May 2023. The landmark resolution recognizes rehabilitation as a core
global public health priority and outlines priority actions to be taken by Member States, civil
society and WHO Secretariat moving forward.

The objectives of the meeting were to:

1. Acknowledge the resolution on ‘Strengthening Rehabilitation in Health Systems’ that was
approved at the Seventy sixth World Health Assembly
2. Understand the approaches to driving the actions requested in the resolution, and introduce
the new WHO tools that will facilitate the implementation of the resolution in countries
3. Identify strategic opportunities to accelerate the Rehabilitation 2030: Call for action
4. Launch the World Rehabilitation Alliance

During the meeting, WHO colleagues from all regions introduced 5 new technical tools aimed
at supporting efforts to strengthen health systems and implement the WHA76.6 resolution:

1. Package of interventions for rehabilitation (PIR): a resource that outlines essential

evidence-based interventions and related information to facilitate the planning, budgeting,
and integration of rehabilitation at all service delivery levels in health systems.
2. Guide for rehabilitation workforce evaluation (GROWE): provides a method and tools
for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting key rehabilitation workforce data. It uses labor
market and competency analyses, engaging stakeholders across sectors and fostering their
ongoing coordination and collaboration.
3. Routine health information systems – rehabilitation toolkit: supports the integration of
rehabilitation into routine health facility reporting and the analysis of collected data through
a standard set of indicators and considerations for their interpretation and use.

v
4. Strengthening rehabilitation in health emergency preparedness, response, and
resilience: a policy brief: outlines the evidence for rehabilitation in emergencies and the
need for greater preparedness of rehabilitation services. It shows how existing guidelines
support the integration of rehabilitation in emergencies and sets out the steps that decision
makers can take to better integrate rehabilitation into health emergency preparedness and
response.
5. Rehabilitation in health financing – opportunities on the way to universal health
coverage: presents an overview of financing practices for rehabilitation services around the
world, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries, and outlines key considerations
and ways forward for policymakers to optimize financing arrangements for rehabilitation
in their countries.

Additionally, the meeting marked the official launch of the World Rehabilitation Alliance (WRA),
a global network hosted by WHO. The WRA’s mission is to support the implementation
of Rehabilitation 2030 through advocacy activities.

The meeting’s discussions underscored the importance of shifting focus towards greater
country-level action and amplified advocacy efforts. This strategic shift is necessary for shaping
policy, fostering increased demand for rehabilitation services, and ultimately ensuring that the
priority actions of the WHA76.6 resolution are implemented.

Content of this report

The report contains a summary of key messages and discussions from the meeting, organized
chronologically by session. The meeting agenda and list of participants can be found in the
Annexes.

vi
1. Introduction

The meeting began with Ms Madeline Niebanck

(Founder, Maddi Stroke of Luck), a 28-year old stroke
survivor, author and advocate for rehabilitation sharing
insights from her own rehabilitation journey. Ms
Niebanck’s experiences set the stage for the meeting
discussions, and illustrated the lifechanging impact that
rehabilitation can have on an individual’s life.

Ms Niebanck:
“What I realize now is that surviving the brain hemorrhage was not the finish line, it was
just the beginning of a very long rehabilitation journey….I firmly believe that
rehabilitation has the power to help people with various conditions like myself to find a
new way forward and get access to the recovery that they need.“

Dr Jérôme Salomon (Assistant Director-General for

Universal Health Coverage/Communicable and Non
Communicable Diseases, WHO) emphasized the
importance of ensuring that everyone has access
to timely, affordable and quality rehabilitation
services as part of universal health coverage (UHC).
He acknowledged recent world events that have
profoundly increased the need for rehabilitation
globally, and that have shifted health and economic priorities.

Dr Salomon:
“As experienced during COVID-19 and as we are witnessing in current conflicts, health
emergencies and humanitarian crises, enormous surges in rehabilitation needs are
revealing… Rehabilitation has increasingly become an integral part of WHO emergency
responses, whether during the COVID-19 outbreak, the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria,
or the conflicts in Sudan and Ukraine.”

Dr Salomon:
Maddi’s story reminds us that the core of rehabilitation
is winning the fight to restore health, functioning and
dignity. It also underlines that winning this fight is as
critical as winning the fight to survive.

1
Today, an estimated 2.4 billion people (1 in 3 people globally) have a health condition that would
benefit from rehabilitation. Dr Salomon reflected on the Rehabilitation 2030: Call for Action that
was launched in 2017 to address this rehabilitation need, and the progress that has since been
achieved through joint efforts of the global rehabilitation community. This progress includes
technical support to Member States and the development of a range of normative resources
that focus on strengthening rehabilitation in health systems. Notably, the strong and united
global effort across stakeholder groups, sectors, and rehabilitation professions culminated
in the historic adoption of the resolution ‘Strengthening rehabilitation in health systems’
(WHA76.6) at the Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva in May 2023. This
significant milestone reflects the growing political prioritization of rehabilitation among Member
States, and provides a clear roadmap of priority actions to move the sector forward.

Dr Salomon:
“The rehabilitation resolution is not just about improving health systems. It is about
improving lives, and giving people the chance to be the best they can be. It is about
creating a world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”

Opening remarks
Four Member State representatives provided opening remarks to the meeting, reflecting on
the current challenges and opportunities in the rehabilitation sector and sharing experiences
from their respective countries:

Dr Pilar Aparicio
(Director General of Public Health, Spain)
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted Spain’s health
system, including rehabilitation services. Spain
responded by enhancing its health system’s resilience.
This entailed integrating rehabilitation throughout all
levels of the health system, extensive consultation with
regions and stakeholders, bolstering the rehabilitation
workforce, improving data collection, and enhancing access to assistive technologies and
medical products in primary care and hospitals.

Mr Shodikhon Jamshed
(Deputy Minister, Ministry of Health and Social Protection
of Population of Tajikistan)
25% of Tajikistan’s population are estimated to need
rehabilitation. To address this, the country has
conducted a national situation assessment, invested in
rehabilitation facilities, equipment, and workforce
training, and is set to implement a national strategic
plan on rehabilitation and assistive technology by late 2023.

2
 Dr Daniel Kyabayinze
(Director Public Health, Ministry of Health, Uganda)
Uganda has taken considerable steps to strengthen
rehabilitation, including its inaugural national strategic
plan on rehabilitation and assistive technology. This
plan is now in the endorsement and implementation
phase. The country has also expanded primary health
care rehabilitation services through task sharing,
conducted rehabilitation research, and integrated rehabilitation into district health information
systems to regularly monitor and report on progress.

Ms Pascale Delcomminette
(Administratrice générale de Wallonie-Bruxelles
Internationale, Belgium)
The government of Wallonia, Belgium, has recently
established an agreement with WHO to support
two countries in the African region in their efforts to
strengthen rehabilitation. Over the coming years this
support will see the implementation of several WHO
tools aimed at strengthening rehabilitation governance, data collection and workforce.
Through a recorded video, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus (Director-General, WHO) commended the
global rehabilitation community on progress made since the Rehabilitation 2030: Call for action.
He also acknowledged the significance of the landmark WHA 76.6 resolution on rehabilitation.

Dr Tedros:
“The resolution emphasises the importance of rehabilitation in
primary care and as part of emergency preparedness and response.
Now is the time to translate these objectives into action. WHO is
working to develop visible targets and indicators alongside technical
guidance and resources to support the ongoing implementation of
Rehabilitation 2030. Working together, we can address the unmet
needs in rehabilitation services worldwide and support more people
to live longer healthier lives.”

3
1.1 Rehabilitation 2030 in the context of the
resolution on “Strengthening rehabilitation in
health systems” endorsed at the 76th World Health
Assembly

Speaker: Dr Alarcos Cieza (Unit Head, Sensory Functions, Disability and

Rehabilitation, WHO)

Dr Alarcos Cieza laid the foundation for the 2-day meeting, providing an overview of
Rehabilitation 2030, taking stock of progress achieved in the rehabilitation sector to date,
explaining the significance of the WHA76.6 resolution on “Strengthening rehabilitation in
health systems” as well as the actions requested in it, and briefly introducing the new WHO
tools that will facilitate the implementation of the resolution in countries.

Rehabilitation 2030’s core principles

The Rehabilitation 2030: Call for action was launched in 2017, rallying
stakeholders towards concerted and coordinated global action to scale
up rehabilitation. The initiative identified 10 priority areas for action, and
was based on 3 foundational principles that guide our collective efforts:
Foundation
1. Functioning
Rehabilitation optimizes everyday life, encompassing communication,
mobility, self-care, relationships, sensory functions, and more. It is the
primary strategy for enhancing functioning and overall well-being by working
with individuals and their environment.

Dr Cieza:
“The challenge and the tragedy, as all of you know, is when rehabilitation services
are not available and are not provided. This does not only have consequences for the
individual, in terms of their limitations in functioning, but also for their families and the
economy.”

4
2. Equity
Quality rehabilitation services should be accessible to anyone in need. Rehabilitation is an
important service for the whole population, for anyone with a health condition, across the life
course. Achieving equity involves:
• Inclusion of rehabilitation as part of UHC, ensuring that the services are provided based on
need without financial hardship.
• Strengthening the health system as a whole, and integrating rehabilitation into all health
system components (see Fig. 1 below).

Fig. 1 Health system building blocks

Governance
and Financing
leadership

Integrated
rehabilitation
Health services Health
workforce information
system

Essential
medicines and
technologies
incl. AT

3. Integration
Rehabilitation must be integrated at all levels of the health system, particularly at primary care
level. Without this, we will not adequately address the rehabilitation needs of the population.

Progress achieved
Significant strides have been made in the global rehabilitation community
in recent years. Key achievements include:
Evidence production Motivation
• The Lancet paper “Global estimates of the need for rehabilitation
based on the Global Burden of Disease study 2019” (2020)
• WHO Bulletin theme issue on Advancing health policy and systems
research for rehabilitation (2022)
• WHO COVID-19 Clinical management: living guidance (2023) covering
rehabilitation for patients with COVID-19 and adults with post COVID-19 condition.

5
Capacity development
• Numerous technical tools1 have been developed to support countries in strengthening
rehabilitation leadership and governance, workforce, assistive technology, service delivery
and the integration of rehabilitation in emergency contexts.
• During the two-day meeting, 5 new WHO resources were launched which will further guide
countries in health system strengthening efforts (see sections 2.2, 3.2, 3.3, 4.2, 5.2 below).

Countries supported
• WHO, together with key partners, currently support 37 Member States in strengthening their
health systems for better rehabilitation provision. Notably, 25 low- and middle-countries have
now developed a national strategic plan for rehabilitation.

The rehabilitation resolution

The recent WHA resolution on “Strengthening rehabilitation in health systems” (WHA 76.6) is a
historic milestone, marking the first time in 75 years that rehabilitation has been recognized as
a core global public health priority. The resolution outlines priority actions for Member States,
civil society and WHO Secretariat, aligning directly with the Rehabilitation 2030 action areas
and foundational principles.

1
Rehabilitation in health systems;
Rehabilitation in Health Systems: Guide for Action;
Rehabilitation Competency Framework;
Minimum technical standards and recommendations for rehabilitation in emergency medical teams;
Priority Assistive Products List

6
Implementing the resolution
The real challenge now lies in implementing the resolution’s priority
actions. This demands renewed commitment and coordinated efforts
from all stakeholders. The collective actions taken in the coming years
will ultimately define the status of the rehabilitation sector in 2030 and Commitment
beyond.

Rehabilitation 2030 and World Rehabilitation Alliance

(WRA)
Dr Cieza explained the complementary nature of Rehabilitation 2030 and the World
Rehabilitation Alliance (WRA), launched at the meeting’s close. These initiatives are described
as two sides of the same coin:

• Rehabilitation 2030: focuses on capacity building in countries, providing evidence,

technical tools and support.
• WRA: is a WHO-hosted network dedicated to advocacy, raising awareness, driving demand
and creating political will.

Rehabilitation 2030 World Rehabilitation Alliance

Focuses on Focuses on
• Producing evidence • Raising awareness
• Creating capacity • Creating demand
• Supporting countries • Mobilizing political will

Together, they propel the rehabilitation sector towards its goals, ensuring that rehabilitation
remains central to global health priorities. (For more information on the World Rehabilitation
Alliance, see section 7.3).

7
1.2 Change where it matters most; Progress
and lessons for strengthening rehabilitation in
countries

Moderator: Dr Pilar Aparicio (Director General of Public Health, Spain)

Since the Rehabilitation 2030: Call for action launch in 2017, considerable progress and work
has occurred at global, regional and country level. Having now arrived at the half-way period
between 2017 and 2030, it is important to reflect on the lessons learned so far and how these
lessons could be used to further accelerate action in countries. To do this, Dr Pilar Aparicio
spoke with four Member State representatives who shared their own country’s experiences
and approaches to health system strengthening. The four speakers highlighted the factors that
have contributed to their progress and lessons learned along the way.

Dr Sangeeta Kaushal Mishra

(Additional Health Secretary, Ministry of Health and Population, Nepal):
“The response and recovery during and after the earthquake led
to an understanding and increased commitment in the sector of
rehabilitation.”
“One of the concerns is that we had the same focal unit [within
Ministry of Health] which was overseeing leprosy and rehabilitation…
but we now have a rehabilitation expert there, so now it has become
much easier for us to lead this agenda further.”

Ms Heather Hanlan
(Director of Rehabilitation Services, Public Hospitals Authority, Ministry
of Health and Wellness, Bahamas):
“I am pleased that, after years of advocating, networking and pushing
the rehabilitation needs in our country, in June 2022 the director of
rehabilitation and the deputy director of rehabilitation posts aligned
where they are now included in decision making processes that
occur within the public health care system of the Bahamas. This
recognition of our health leaders of the importance of rehabilitation to
be included in the level of strategic planning is a great breakthrough
for leadership and governance in the Bahamas.”

8
 Dr Khamsay Detleuxay
(Director General of Department of Health Care and Rehabilitation,
Ministry of Health, Lao People’s Democratic Republic):
“The Ministry of Health had to increase its capacity and engagement
to step up and adequately lead rehabilitation strengthening.”
“Training doctors and nurses in rehabilitation has increased demand
for rehabilitation, as now they understand what rehabilitation is, who
needs it and what can be done for people.”

Ms Celestine Akua Numatsi Esse

(Project Officer, International Committee of the Red Cross,Togo):
“We think it’s important to promote and share experiences between
countries because problems within the 3 countries [Benin, Cote
d’Ivoire and Togo] are similar and countries want to learn from each
other.”

Key themes that emerged from the panel discussion:

• Country-tailored and diverse approaches to health system strengthening are crucial.
• Ministry of Health leadership and capacity are vital for driving change.
• Inclusion of rehabilitation professionals in decision-making within the Ministry is essential.
• Advocacy by rehabilitation focal points during Ministry decisions is necessary.
• While strategic planning is important, emphasis on annual operational planning is even
more vital.
• Collaboration among sectors and stakeholders prevents fragmentation and inefficiency.
• Development partners’ support in implementing existing tools and guidance is crucial,
focusing on local capacity building.
• A functional rehabilitation workforce is foundational for progress in other areas.

9
2. Emergencies
(Preparedness, response and recovery)

Moderator: Dr Nedret Emiroglu (Country Readiness Strengthening,

Health Emergencies Programme, WHO)

2.1 Lessons from the field: How prepared

are we to respond to rehabilitation needs in
emergencies?

The global impact of emergencies, and the role of rehabilitation

Each year, over 170 million people are affected by conflict, and an estimated 190 million by
disasters globally. The world continues to witness conflicts, infectious disease outbreaks
and various hazards that result in a devastating number of critical injuries and illnesses.
Unfortunately, no country is exempt from such emergencies.

Dr Nedret Emiroglu explained that emergencies create an enormous surge in rehabilitation

needs while at the same time disrupting essential rehabilitation services. Rehabilitation plays
a vital role in emergency response efforts, enabling those affected by emergencies to achieve
the best possible recovery in terms of health and functioning. In recent years, we have seen
the importance of rehabilitation following the earthquake in Türkiye and North-West Syria, in
conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Current challenges in emergency response

Unfortunately, most countries today are not equipped to respond to the sudden increase in
rehabilitation needs following a health emergency. According to Dr Emiroglu, rehabilitation is
rarely considered as part of emergency preparedness, and often remains an afterthought in
early response efforts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, rehabilitation was amongst
the essential health services most disrupted by the pandemic.

10
Call for change
The WHA76.6 resolution on ‘Strengthening rehabilitation in health systems’ urges Member
States to ensure timely integration of rehabilitation and assistive technology into emergency
preparedness and response, including Emergency Medical Teams. This includes building
capacity and competency of rehabilitation professionals and health emergency workforce to
respond to both the acute and long-term rehabilitation needs of those affected by emergencies,
to ensure a deployable rehabilitation workforce in emergency contexts, and to promote learning
across countries.

Dr Emiroglu:
“We have witnessed many emergencies recently where rehabilitation services were
delivered from the very start at the preparedness and readiness phase, and it has been
critical in saving many lives in the emergency response.”

As we take steps towards strengthening rehabilitation within emergency preparedness,

response and recovery efforts, it is important to reflect on lessons learned from past events.
Dr Emiroglu spoke with three panelists, representing vastly different emergency and country
contexts, who shared their experiences of rehabilitation responses following an emergency in
their country:

Rehabilitation in disaster
Mr Ismaila Kebbie (Manager, National Physical Rehabilitation
Program, Ministry or Health and Sanitation, Sierra Leone):
“For us as a Ministry, we were able to sit down with the rehabilitation
professionals and identify the needs assessment at that moment... we
were able to actually know our needs and what to ask for.”

Rehabilitation in conflict
Ms Mariia Karchevych (Deputy Minister of Health, Ukraine):
“In the midst of the war, rehabilitation emergency response in Ukraine
has been based on three pillars. First, legislation and regulation. The
most important here is intersectoral collaboration. The second is
service delivery... also ensuring capacities and building professions.
The third is assistive technology.”

Rehabilitation in an outbreak
Dr Rachael Moses (Consultant Physiotherapist and National Clinical
Advisor Respiratory, National Health Service, England):
“The most valuable resource in a pandemic is people. People with
the right skills being deployed in the right places at the right time.”

11
Collectively, the speakers highlighted the importance of all-hazard preparedness, adequate
human resource capacity, ongoing advocacy for rehabilitation in emergency preparedness,
timely identification and response to long-term consequences of the emergency context, and
the need to protect existing rehabilitation services. They also emphasized the invaluable role
of regional collaboration for filling service gaps and preparing for a surge in rehabilitation
needs, the importance of intersectoral collaboration, and the benefit of having rehabilitation
professionals in key leadership positions. These insights illustrate how rehabilitation services,
regardless of context, can be better prepared for emergencies, and better integrated into
preparedness efforts.

2.2 Launch of the WHO policy brief: Strengthening

rehabilitation in health emergency preparedness,
readiness, response and resilience

Speakers: Dr Hala Sakr (WHO Regional Office for the

Eastern Mediterranean), Mr Pete Skelton (Emergency
Medical Teams and Rehabilitation Programme, WHO)

Rationale and challenges in integrating rehabilitation in emergencies

Mr Peter Skelton provided background and insights into the newly published
WHO policy brief: Strengthening rehabilitation in health emergency
preparedness, readiness, response and resilience. He highlighted that
many rehabilitation organizations and professions have their origins in
emergencies, however despite this the role of rehabilitation in health
emergencies is often not well recognized and understood. Rehabilitation is
frequently considered in the late response and early recovery phase, missing
the chance for timely integration into health emergency responses.

Mr Skelton:
“The reality is that emergencies are often a catalyst to strengthen the rehabilitation
services in countries, but we wait for the emergency to hit before we realize this, and
there is actually a huge amount that we can do now.”

Rehabilitation integration into preparedness efforts remains limited. WHO data across 19 low-
and middle-income countries found that only 1 country had integrated rehabilitation into their
national preparedness planning processes. Only 17% of countries, as per a World Physiotherapy
survey, integrated physiotherapy. Where rehabilitation is integrated, it often focuses solely on
trauma surge.

12
Dr Hala Sakr emphasized challenges from the Eastern Mediterranean Region, sharing examples
of the region’s struggles in recognizing and integrating rehabilitation. During the COVID-19
pandemic, a 2020–21 rapid assessment of 18 Eastern Mediterranean countries found that
only 50% of countries included rehabilitation in their health system response plans. The
earthquake in Türkiye and North-West Syria exposed financing and supply chain issues as well
as a fragmented response stemming from the absence of rehabilitation in preparedness plans.

Dr Sakr:
“In emergencies we face limited resources and compromised infrastructure, for all
health services but more for rehabilitation. Health systems are disrupted, and workforce
is inadequate or not qualified. Simultaneously, there is the increased [rehabilitation]
need as well as the need to maintain the services for those who have the need prior
to the crisis. Accessibility barriers and displacement are additional challenges and
sometimes there is insufficient coordination and collaboration among humanitarian
actors.”

Overview of the WHO policy brief

The WHO policy brief: Strengthening rehabilitation in health emergency preparedness,
readiness, response and resilience outlines the evidence for rehabilitation in emergencies and
the need for greater preparedness of rehabilitation services. It shows how existing guidelines
support the integration of rehabilitation in emergencies and sets out the steps that decision
makers can take to better integrate rehabilitation into health emergency preparedness and
response.

The development of the policy brief involved extensive contributions from rehabilitation
individuals and organizations, ensuring that it adequately met the needs of countries. This
resource is part of a broader project, including the development of a practical toolkit and
checklist to further support Member States and other leaders in integrating rehabilitation into
preparedness. This forthcoming toolkit will be piloted in 2024.

For more information on the WHO Policy brief: Strengthening rehabilitation in health emergency
preparedness, readiness, response and resilience, please refer to Section 6.3 Technical breakout
session on Emergencies.

For additional information on WHO’s work on rehabilitation in emergencies, visit: https://www.

who.int/activities/strengthening-rehabilitation-in-emergencies

13
3. Health financing and service delivery

Moderators: Ms Kenza Zerrou (Engagement Funds,

Banks, Multilaterals, WHO), Dr Bruno Meessen
(Senior Health Financing Advisor, Department of
Health Financing and Economics, WHO)

Ms Kenza Zerrou began by sharing her personal experience of accessing rehabilitation after a
stroke in 2021. In her country, rehabilitation was covered by health benefits, but this is not the
case globally. In many places, individuals pay out-of-pocket for rehabilitation, risking financial
strain. Ms Zerrou’s story highlights the importance of rehabilitation financing for quality care
and financial security. Subsequent speakers provided an overview to health financing and
shared current practices in financing of rehabilitation services.

14
3.1 Including rehabilitation in health financing to
expand access to rehabilitation services

Overview to rehabilitation in health financing and ways forward

Speaker: Ms Tamara Chikhradze (Results for Development, Health

Systems Strengthening Accelerator)

Ms Tamara Chikhradze highlighted the financing functions encompassing revenue raising,

pooling and purchasing. To incorporate rehabilitation in health financing mechanisms, she
emphasized the need for comprehensive information gathering, assessing the political economy
and resource distribution before implementation. She highlighted 4 key policy considerations:
promote integration of rehabilitation into health financing mechanisms; ensure there is coverage
and financial protection for the population; prioritize financing of evidence-based interventions for
rehabilitation; and the role of financing mechanisms in promoting quality services. Ms Chikhradze
underscored 3 overarching principles for success: adopting a systems approach, ensuring strong
governance led by Ministry of Health, and data- and evidence-driven decision making.

Ms Chikhradze:
“By integrating rehabilitation into health financing, we are not just reshaping the
landscape for rehabilitation, we are reshaping the landscape for health care in general,
moving it towards the type of care that looks at the quality of life it saves, and not just
the quantity.”

Using evidence to inform policy and action on rehabilitation in Scotland ,

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Speaker: Professor Carolyn McDonald (Chief Allied Health Professions

Officer, the Scottish Government)

Professor Carolyn McDonald provided insights into how Scotland shapes and delivers
rehabilitation in the country, and the common sources of evidence that are used to influence
health policy and financing decisions.

The importance of clinical practice guidelines for evidence-informed decision-making was

highlighted. Alongside this, qualitative information, including the service user perspective, can
be very powerful. In recent years, Scotland has also drawn on audits of rehabilitation services,
good practice examples and an allied health professions education and workforce policy review

15
in these processes. Professor McDonald emphasized the importance of ensuring alignment
of rehabilitation with other policy areas within the government, promoting rehabilitation as a
core part of all healthcare.

Professor McDonald:
“Providing evidence to support what we do is essential in modern care. Clinical practice
guidelines are key to ensuring that we can present our case for rehabilitation effectively
to influence health financing and subsequent service delivery.”

In order to expand the evidence-base in Scotland, research competency and capacity needs
to be further strengthened. Scotland will continue to evaluate rehabilitation service delivery in
order to respond to the growing need for rehabilitation.

Defining a health benefit package inclusive of rehabilitation in Georgia

Speaker: Dr Akaki Zoidze (Curatio International Foundation, Health

Systems Strengthening Accelerator)

Dr Akaki Zoidze shared methods and experiences from integrating rehabilitation into the
national health system in Georgia. Specifically, he reported on using a draft version of the
Package of interventions for rehabilitation to develop health benefit packages inclusive of
rehabilitation.

Dr Zoidze introduced the steps involved in the process. These included: Advocacy to sensitize
policy makers; the prioritization of rehabilitation interventions and services; costing and
budgeting of the selected services; ensuring that the financing for priority services were
included in the State budget; developing standards, protocols, care guidelines and a national
competency framework, and establishing a vision for a future model of care for rehabilitation
in Georgia. Dr Zoidze went on to explain how the draft version of the Package of interventions
for rehabilitation supported the process.

Dr Zoidze:
“In Georgia, we cannot cover everything from the beginning, not just because of not
enough budget but also because of the shortage of human resources. The prioritization
of rehabilitation services was the key to start with. It was based on considering the
existing population needs, evidence and cost effectiveness of interventions, and current
availability of services. The draft version of the Package of interventions for rehabilitation
helped not only to identify the interventions that are evidence-based, and thus to define
the minimum standard for funded programmes, but also to advocate for those services.
For the future, we also plan to use the Package of interventions for rehabilitation for the
development of national guidelines and protocols for patient services.”

16
3.2 Launch of the WHO Rehabilitation in health
financing: Opportunities on the way to universal
health coverage

Speakers: Dr Jody-Anne Mills (WHO Regional Office

for Western Pacific), Dr Pauline Kleinitz
(Rehabilitation Programme, WHO)

The Rehabilitation in health financing: Opportunities on the way to universal

health coverage was launched, a new WHO resource that recognizes
the crucial role health financing plays in achieving UHC and in ensuring
access to rehabilitation services without financial hardship. The resource
fills a knowledge gap on how health financing practices can be harnessed
to promote the delivery of rehabilitation services. This resource is broken
into four parts and provides insights into current practices, framing major
challenges and opportunities, and offering guidance to decision-makers
engaged in strengthening rehabilitation within health systems. The
resource was developed through a strong partnership between the WHO Health financing
and Rehabilitation teams, and the Health System Strengthening Accelerator, funded by the
United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Dr Mills:
“This resource provides guidance for rehabilitation and financing stakeholders alike, so
that both groups can inform decisions around rehabilitation in health financing. It really
puts us all on the same page about the challenges that exist and ways forward”.

For more information on the WHO Rehabilitation in health financing: Opportunities on the
way to universal health coverage, please refer to Section 6.5 Technical breakout session on
Rehabilitation in health financing.

17
3.3 Launch of the Package of interventions for
rehabilitation

Speakers: Dr Binta Sako (WHO Regional Office for

Africa), Dr Alexandra Rauch (Rehabilitation
Programme, WHO)

The Package of interventions for rehabilitation (PIR) was then launched in

the meeting, after more than four years of development. The PIR provides
information on evidence-based interventions for rehabilitation and required
human and material resources that are needed to deliver the interventions.
The specific focus for the development of the PIR has been low- and
middle-resource contexts. It is now available for twenty health conditions.

Dr Sako:
“The Package of interventions for rehabilitation provides a lot of information on the
type of evidence-based interventions that are needed and what is required to make the
services available in terms of material and human resources. It comes at a critical and
timely moment for countries. While there are countries that already have strategic plans,
I think, this was the element that was missing to help them to translate the strategies
into actual service delivery.“

The PIR has been primarily developed to support countries in planning, budgeting and
integrating interventions for rehabilitation into all service delivery levels and along the
continuum of care. However, the information is also useful to service providers, academics and
researchers to plan evidence-based service delivery, education and training of the rehabilitation
workforce, or research activities.

More than 700 rehabilitation experts and consumer representatives, representing nearly 100
countries from all world regions have contributed to the development of the PIR.

For more information on the Package of interventions for rehabilitation, please refer to Section
6.1 Technical breakout session on Package of Interventions for Rehabilitation.

18
3.4 Enablers and drivers of expanded financing
for evidence-based services

Moderators: Ms Kenza Zerrou (Engagement Funds,

Banks, Multilaterals, WHO), Dr Bruno Meessen (Senior
Health Financing Advisor, Department of Health
Financing and Economics, WHO)

Representatives from different rehabilitation stakeholder groups2 came together to discuss the
enablers and drivers for expanded rehabilitation financing, taking into account the different
roles their respective agencies can play.

A number of key points emerged during the discussion:

1. Consumer engagement: Inclusive consultation with consumer groups, including
rehabilitation consumers and people with disabilities, is important for effective advocacy
and decision-making in rehabilitation financing.
2. Role of personal testimonies: Data is important, but listening to the experiences of
those who have undergone rehabilitation is even more impactful for advocacy and
decision-making.
3. Academic contributions: Researchers can help in improving the measurement and
understanding of rehabilitation services, making it easier for health financing stakeholders
to comprehend and cost.
4. Rehabilitation stakeholder involvement: Rehabilitation stakeholders should acquaint
themselves with health financing concepts, and participate in decisions affecting
rehabilitation service funding in their countries.
5. Multi-agency funding: Ministries of Health are key in rehabilitation expansion but should
collaborate with other government agencies like Ministries of Social Affairs, Education, and
Defense for additional funding and efficiency.
6. Development partner role: Development partners can work with governments to support
information generation and research on rehabilitation, cross country learning, piloting and
demonstration projects, and ensuring adequate evaluation and learning in the process.

2
Round table participants: Dr Ola Abualghaib (Manager, Technical Secretariat UN PRPD, UN Multi-Partner Trust
Fund), Ms Tamara Chikhradze (Results for Development, Health Systems Strengthening Accelerator), Prof Emerita
Gwynnyth Llewellyn (Head, WHO Collaborating Centre for Strengthening, Rehabilitation Capacity in Health
Systems, The University of Sydney), Prof Carolyn McDonald (Chief Allied Health Professions Officer, the Scottish
Government), and Dr Akaki Zoidze (Curatio International Foundation, Health Systems Strengthening Accelerator).

19
7. Ministry of Health financing implementation: Ministries of Health are crucial during
the implementation of financing arrangements, particularly after defining a heath
benefit package inclusive of rehabilitation. Informed by Georgia’s experience, successful
implementation requires considerable guidance and extensive stakeholder engagement,
resulting in better outcomes through greater ownership.
8. Ministry of Health rehabilitation focal point: The rehabilitation focal persons within
the Ministries of Health also have a role in advocacy and in building awareness about
rehabilitation across health, not just within their ministries but at the level of districts, heads
of hospitals and other departments.

For additional information on WHO’s work on rehabilitation financing and service delivery, visit:
https://www.who.int/activities/integrating-rehabilitation-into-health-systems

20
4. Workforce

4.1 Information driven advocacy and action to

strengthen the rehabilitation workforce

Moderator: Dr Khassoum Diallo (Unit Head, Data, Evidence and

Knowledge Management, Health Workforce Department, WHO)

Dr Khassoum Diallo opened the discussion by highlighting the critical role of the workforce
in healthcare systems, emphasizing lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic where
workforce issues disrupted essential health services.

The development of rehabilitation workforce in many countries lags behind other health-
related occupational groups due to limited awareness of their contribution and inadequate
data. The rehabilitation workforce faces an array of challenges, including shortages, migration,
an imbalanced distribution between private and public sectors, inadequate salaries, and poor
regulation of education leading to quality concerns and unemployment.

Addressing these challenges demands comprehensive information that goes beyond mere
workforce numbers. Dr Diallo stressed the importance of accurate data and robust evidence
for decision-making, advocacy, resource mobilization, and country-level implementation. He
highlighted the need for strong national data systems to guide policy development and monitor
progress during implementation.

Dr Diallo spoke with three experts to discuss the different types of information that can support
advocacy and guide country action to strengthen the rehabilitation workforce.

21
The need for, and use of, rehabilitation workforce availability and
accessibility data

Speaker: Mr Ritchard Ledgerd (Executive Director, World Federation of

Occupational Therapists)

Mr Ledgerd highlighted the need for availability and accessibility data beyond supply figures.
Understanding demand, including factors like job availability and absorption, is essential.
Disparities between urban and rural areas, diverse practice areas, and workforce attrition
are also critical considerations. The lack of prioritization, inadequate understanding of
rehabilitation’s value, and insufficient infrastructure hinder workforce data collection efforts,
affecting policy-making.

Mr Ledgerd:
“There is an urgency for us to get better at capturing and using data to improve the
situation of rehabilitation workforce in countries, and to remember that behind each
number is a person.”

The need for, and application of, information on the competence of the
rehabilitation workforce

Speaker: Dr Nassib Tawa (Centre for Research in Spinal Health and

Rehabilitation Medicine, Kenya)

Dr Tawa emphasized the importance of analyzing workforce competence beyond supply-

demand metrics. Deeper analysis of workforce competency delves into not only quantitative
statistics but also qualitative aspects such as professional training levels, proficiency,
performance, and alignment with population needs. Rehabilitation competency analysis
offers a comprehensive view of the workforce, allowing countries to assess gaps and enhance
workforce quality and service delivery.

Dr Tawa:
“It goes beyond the quantitative numbers by painting a holistic picture of the state of
the rehabilitation workforce and making a determination as to whether the available,
existing workforce and the services which are offered are best matched to the level of
need within a country.”

22
The need for, and application of, information in the performance of the
rehabilitation workforce

Speaker: Dr Ferdiliza Garcia (Committee on Professional Standards and

Ethics, Philippine Association of Speech and Language Pathologists

Dr Garcia shed light on the crucial role of a worker’s environment in influencing their performance.
Physical aspects such as space allocation, equipment availability, and access to assistive technology
influence workforce practices. Social factors like the perception of rehabilitation services and
workforce within the broader health system context is essential. Dr Garcia provided examples from
the Philippines, highlighting geographical challenges, resources disparities and disaster exposure.
Dr Garcia emphasized the importance of collecting workforce data to inform planning, collaboration
with institutions to establish competency standards, and advocating for health needs.
While discussing the rehabilitation workforce challenges and potential solutions, the three
experts stressed the significance of accurate data and comprehensive analysis. Availability,
accessibility, competence and environmental factors play vital roles in strengthening the
workforce and ensuring quality service delivery.

4.2 Launch of the Guide for rehabilitation

workforce evaluation

Speakers: Dr Jody-Anne Mills (Rehabilitation

Programme, WHO),3 Dr Cathal Morgan (WHO
Regional Office for Europe)

The launch of the Guide for rehabilitation workforce evaluation (GROWE) marked a significant
step in addressing healthcare workforce challenges. Dr Mills emphasized GROWE’s significance
as more than a data collection tool – it recognizes the rehabilitation workforce’s importance and
provides an opportunity for rehabilitation professionals from a range of occupations to come
together to voice their situation. GROWE aims to uncover the “why” behind workforce data,
enabling more effective responses to challenges.
Dr Cathal Morgan explained that GROWE builds upon the health labor market analysis
guidebook, providing a deeper analysis of the rehabilitation workforce. It encompasses
quantitative and qualitative data, encouraging interdepartmental collaboration and stakeholder
engagement for evidence-based decisions.

3
Please note: Dr Jody-Anne Mills participated in the meeting as WHO Regional advisor for Disability, Rehabilitation,
and Long-Term Care, WHO Western Pacific Regional Office. However, in her former role at WHO headquarters,
she led the development of the Guide for rehabilitation workforce evaluation.

23
 Dr Morgan:
“GROWE works best when it is fundamentally inter-departmental, inter-ministerial, inter-
organizational and inter-professional, as a basis on which you can bring all of the key
stakeholders together to do the analysis and look at what the findings are telling us in
order to develop a plan, to develop the workforce.”

Workforce data is often misunderstood as merely focusing on numbers. However, rehabilitation

workforce challenges are multifaceted and complex (see Fig. 2 below for examples of workforce
challenges). GROWE offers a comprehensive tool to navigate these complexities, offering a
holistic view that supports decision-making.

Fig. 2 Examples of rehabilitation workforce challenges suggested by meeting

participants

Need for generalist skills alongside specialists

Recruitment Building research capacity

and retention Inadequate career pathways
Acknowledging other workforce Professional hierarchies
(e.g. community health workers, traditional medicine) Insufficient academic education

Equitable workforce distribution

Improving coverage
Teamwork and
Training
Quota limitations through task
cohesion (e.g. in government) shifting and Absence of
telehealth succession
Sustaining workforce
through health
Workforce Lack of KPIs for planning
technologies diversification real impact measurement
Advocacy for policy-level awareness and support

Beyond labor analysis, the tool also incorporates competency analysis and needs analysis,
supporting the evaluation, planning, and advocating for a robust rehabilitation workforce.
GROWE is adaptable to country contexts, allowing the evaluation to be tailored to a country’s
unique rehabilitation workforce compositions and needs. The resource will also dispel
misconceptions about workforce issues being purely a matter of supply or shortages. By
involving various stakeholders, GROWE initiates an ongoing journey of development and
planning within Member States, aligned with the goal of improving individuals’ quality of life
through skilled rehabilitation professionals.

The development of GROWE was a collective effort, involving the WHO Rehabilitation programme,
the WHO Health workforce department, and a large pool of peer reviewers and experts.

For more information on the Guide for rehabilitation workforce evaluation, please refer to Section
6.2 Technical breakout session on Guide for rehabilitation workforce evaluation.

For additional information on WHO’s work on rehabilitation workforce, visit: https://www.who.

int/activities/integrating-rehabilitation-into-health-systems/workforce

24
5. Health information systems

5.1 Interactive panel: Bridging the knowledge gap

– Evidence generation for decision-making and
action for rehabilitation

Moderator: Dr Leanne Riley (Unit Head, Surveillance, Monitoring and

Reporting, Department of Noncommunicable Diseases, WHO)

This interactive session involved 4 experts, each providing insights on the different types of
evidence that are needed for effective decision-making for rehabilitation and country action.

Routine data collection from facilities for policy and service delivery
decisions

Speaker: Mr Mesoud Mohammed Ahmed (Deputy to the Executive

Officer of Strategic Affairs, Ministry of Health, Ethiopia)

Mr Ahmed discussed Ethiopia’s principles of standardization, simplification, integration, and

institutionalization of their routine health information system. Six rehabilitation facility indicators
were piloted in five centers, showcasing government commitment through alignment with
the country strategic plan, resource allocation, and designated focal points who lead on
data collection. Real-time data improves service capacity, quality, and accessibility. Early
analysis in Ethiopia revealed variations among centers, in terms of waiting times and service
volumes, informing health planning. Data supports performance monitoring, action planning,
prioritization, budget allocation, and development of national dashboards and annual statistical
reports.

25
Clinical evidence for service delivery decisions

Speaker: Dr Chester Ho (Professor of Physical Medicine and

Rehabilitation, Alberta Health Services, Canada)

Dr Ho introduced Alberta’s health system context and the role of the strategic clinical network
in implementing evidence-based practices. The network uses both quantitative data (such as
surveys, literature and administrative health data) and qualitative data (such as experiences of
patients and providers). Dr Ho cited examples of evidence use, such as creating a post COVID-
19 rehabilitation framework through literature reviews and stakeholder collaboration. He also
mentioned developing key quality indicators for inpatient rehabilitation programs based on
equity concerns. Dr Ho discussed differences among program adoptions of the rehabilitation
framework and identified the need for additional training, understanding workforce readiness
levels, addressing staffing challenges, and ensuring alignment of key quality indicators with
the broader healthcare system. Emphasis was placed on robust data infrastructure to make
clinical evidence accessible to decision-makers and frontline workers.

Health policy and systems research for policy decisions

Speaker: Dr Kaori Yamaguchi (Senior researcher, Department of Health

and Welfare Services, National Institute of Public Health, Japan)

The insurance systems in Japan maintain information systems with reimbursement claims
data, offering comprehensive insight into rehabilitation services for the entire population. The
system includes data on rehabilitation programs and patient assessment results. Dr Yamaguchi
emphasized collaboration with central and local government officials through committees and
grants, facilitating knowledge sharing with policymakers. Health policy and systems research
based on medical claims data identified disparities for service utilization among districts in
Japan, with up to a 1.6 times gap between areas. Future rehabilitation needs were estimated
based on projections of demographic changes, revealing varying trends. It was concluded
that local findings inform health sector plans, addressing disparities and resource allocation.

26
Rehabilitation data on the World Health Data Hub

Speaker: Mr Philippe Boucher (Unit head, Data Exchange team,

Department of Data and Analytics, WHO)

Mr Boucher explained the World Health Data Hub’s role in collecting high-level indicators and
data sets, supporting advocacy, priority setting, and funding efforts. The hub modernizes data
processes, centralizing dissemination and ensuring accessibility. Global-, regional- and country-
level data on the estimated need for rehabilitation will be integrated into the hub in 2024. This
data will be taken from the existing WHO Rehabilitation Needs Estimator, and will be routinely
updated as new data becomes available. The comprehensive approach provides contextual
content, such as health workforce and financial planning data, for informed decision-making.
This comprehensive approach allows users to not only address immediate needs but also
identify trends and estimate future scenarios.

5.2 Launch of the Routine health information

systems – rehabilitation toolkit

Speakers: Dr Wouter De Groote (Rehabilitation

Programme, WHO), Mr Ameel Mohammad (WHO
Regional Office for South-East Asia)

Dr Wouter De Groote reiterated the vital role of Routine Health Information Systems (RHIS) in
enhancing decision-making for rehabilitation at both the facility and (sub)national level. This
aligns with the recent WHA76.6 resolution on rehabilitation, which highlighted the need for
strengthening health information systems for rehabilitation.

RHIS overview
RHIS forms a cornerstone of health service data collection within national health information
systems. Data is sourced from health services provision and based on predefined indicators
for which data are collected regularly. This data is then aggregated, analyzed and utilized at
various health system levels, guiding decisions from the facility to the national level. Standard
facility indicators are pivotal for RHIS, enhancing data quality, harmonizing data collection
efforts, and aiding decision-making.

27
 Dr De Groote:
“The routine health information system is one of the major sources for data and
decision making.”

RHIS rehabilitation toolkit

The Routine health information systems – rehabilitation toolkit was launched during the session.
The toolkit includes:
1. Guidance document: Featuring WHO standard facility indicators for routine data collection,
data analysis and interpretation guidance with dashboard visualizations, and variable
standardization.
2. Digital package: Configured with DHIS2, it offers pre-developed data entry forms and
dashboards, as well as installation and design guides.
3. Training materials: Targeted at rehabilitation service providers and data analysts across
healthcare levels.

RHIS status in South-East Asia

Mr Mohammed Ameel outlined the varying maturity levels of RHIS for rehabilitation
across South-East Asian countries. Notably, Nepal shows promising progress in
data collection and reporting. The WHO South-East Asian Regional Office supports
countries in strengthening RHIS through implementation of WHO toolkits, data quality
assessments, and capacity-building workshops.

The launch of the Routine health information systems – rehabilitation toolkit marks a significant
step toward strengthening health information systems for rehabilitation globally, with a focus on
indicator standardization, improved data quality, and enhanced data analysis. The toolkit has
the potential to improve the rehabilitation sector’s capacity and performance while integrating
rehabilitation data into broader health services analysis.

For more information on the Routine health information systems – rehabilitation toolkit, please
refer to Section 6.4 Technical breakout session on Collection and analysis of routine data for
rehabilitation.

For additional information on WHO’s work on rehabilitation and health information systems,
visit: https://www.who.int/activities/integrating-rehabilitation-into-health-systems/information

28
6. Technical breakout rooms

6.1 Package of interventions for rehabilitation

Moderator: Dr Alexandra Rauch

(Rehabilitation Programme, WHO)

The breakout session aimed to i) provide more in-depth information on the development
and the content of the Package of interventions for rehabilitation (PIR), to ii) present how the
information from the PIR is currently being integrated into WHO’s Universal health coverage
compendium and how countries can use this tool for the planning of rehabilitation services,
and finally, to iii) present and discuss other areas of use of the PIR.

Participants of this breakout session had the opportunity to ask questions to the presenters
and to suggest additional areas of use of the PIR.

29
A snapshot of the Q&A discussion
• Question: Does the PIR consider those with long-term rehabilitation needs?
• Answer: Yes, the PIR covers the entire continuum of care, including long-term rehabilitation.
It extends beyond acute care, ensuring ongoing rehabilitation as needed.

• Question: How does the PIR address co-morbidities and mental health?
• Answer: For multiple conditions we advise users to go to different packages to find all
the information needed. Mental health is addressed in all the documents. Interventions
addressing mental health, particularly depression and anxiety, are also available in the
section titled “Prevention of secondary conditions”.

• Question: Does the PIR still include information on service delivery platforms?
• Answer: No, service delivery information was removed. Interventions were initially linked
to levels of care, but variability in workforce and intervention availability between countries
led to its exclusion. Countries now determine intervention availability at the different service
delivery levels based on context.

• Questions: Will the PIR be available in multiple languages?

• Answer: Yes, the PIR will be translated into the six official UN languages: Arabic, Chinese,
English, French, Russian, and Spanish.

Other uses of the PIR, suggested by meeting participants

• Education and the development of curricula
• Capacity audits at different levels to assess the readiness of the workforce
• Development of minimum standards for the rehabilitation equipment lists
• Advocacy at different levels
• Informing the development of clinical practice guidelines
• Assessing available evidence on interventions for rehabilitation and to inform the
search for new evidence
• Assessing existing rehabilitation protocols (comparing with the interventions
included in the PIR)
• Scaling up community based rehabilitation
• Individual patient management in clinical practice

30
6.2 Guide for rehabilitation workforce evaluation

Moderators: Dr Jody-Anne Mills (WHO Regional

Office for the Western Pacific) and Dr Cathal Morgan
(WHO Regional Office for Europe)

The session aimed to foster a comprehensive understanding of the rehabilitation workforce,

exploring the intricacies of health workforce dimensions and variables, with a focus on
operational aspects of the Guide for rehabilitation workforce evaluation (GROWE) and data
collection.

The session involved group activities, aimed at collectively mapping rehabilitation workforce
variables, encompassing availability, accessibility, acceptability, and quality.

GROWE implementation
Ms Weronika Krzepkowska (WHO Regional Office for Europe) shared her experience
implementing GROWE in Poland. Various rehabilitation workers participated in the workforce
evaluation process, including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language
therapists, clinical psychologists, and physical medicine rehabilitation doctors. While data
existed for the regulated workforce, most specialized rehabilitation workers were not officially
registered. GROWE encouraged their recognition within the rehabilitation workforce.

Dr Mills:
“Defining the rehabilitation workforce is something we do with a lot of caution
because it is not our intention to put very thick borders around who is and is not part
of the rehabilitation workforce; instead, we want the rehabilitation workforce to be
contextualized around those who deliver rehabilitation.”

A snapshot of the Q&A discussion

• Question: Can data collection extend to sub-national levels within a country?
• Answer: In Pakistan, the need for sub-national assessments arose. The tool is designed for
national use, because the need analysis calculates the incidence and prevalence of various
health conditions nationally and considers population size and trends at the national level.
However, it can be adapted for sub-national use with adjustments for local contexts.

• Question: Will WHO use a top-down or country-initiated approach for GROWE

implementation?
• Answer: WHO’s approach varies. Countries can proactively approach WHO, or WHO
identifies opportunities for specific Member States. Discussions with stakeholders determine
tool relevance and priority.

31
 Key themes that emerged during discussion
1. Enabling technologies’ impact on workforce optimization
2. Quality of services and contextual realities
3. Making rehabilitation engaging for both the workforce and patients
4. Making the case for investment in rehabilitation is essential
5. Addressing equity in rehabilitation discussions
6. Promoting cross-country learning
7. The significance of inter-ministerial, interdisciplinary discussions, and multi-
sectoral collaborations in rehabilitation

6.3 Emergencies

Moderator: Mr Peter Skelton

(Emergency Medical Teams and Rehabilitation Programme, WHO)

The session aimed to familiarize participants with the WHO Policy brief Strengthening
rehabilitation in health emergency preparedness, readiness, response and resilience. Through
a series of group activities, participants had the opportunity to discuss different hazards faced
in their country, to consider the rehabilitation consequences at an individual and service level,
and to use the policy brief to identify priority preparedness actions.

32
 Key themes that emerged during discussion
Rehabilitation consequences of emergencies
• Individual level: Surge in rehabilitation needs (injuries or illnesses); loss of assistive
products; displacement.
• Service level: Existing rehabilitation services damaged or disrupted; overwhelming
number of patients; lack of resources (workforce, equipment, assistive products);
lack of continuity of care (unclear referral pathways, addressing secondary
complications).

Priority preparedness activities

• Planning and coordination: Mapping of existing services, stakeholders, and
referral pathways; identifying key coordinators and team leaders involved; sub-
national, national and regional collaboration to address gaps.
• Human resources: Appoint a rehabilitation national focal point for emergency
response, embedded into the health emergency operations centre; training of non-
rehabilitation workforce (task shifting).
• Risk communication: Effective communication that involves rehabilitation
stakeholders at both community level and among policy- and decision-makers.
• Community capacity: Involving rehabilitation consumers and professionals at
grassroots level, particularly where there is decentralized governance.

A snapshot of the Q&A discussion

• Question: What constitutes a health emergency?
• Answer: An emergency is defined as “A situation impacting the lives and well-being of a
large number of people or a significant percentage of a population and requiring substantial
multisectoral assistance”. A health emergency would therefore impact a large number of
people, and result in significant health consequences.

• Question: How does the policy brief and forthcoming toolkit address the needs of vulnerable
populations during emergency preparedness?
• Answer: The policy brief and forthcoming toolkit provide guidance on the role of
rehabilitation professionals in reducing the vulnerability of populations that they work with.
However, it is important to note that inclusive humanitarian response is a much broader issue
that goes beyond health, and requires cross-sectoral collaboration. There are many initiatives
and resources available globally that provide guidance on the latter.

33
6.4 Collection and analysis of routine data for
rehabilitation

Moderator: Dr Wouter De Groote

(Rehabilitation Programme, WHO)

Dr Wouter De Groote set the session’s objectives, aiming to provide a comprehensive

understanding of the Routine health information system (RHIS) – rehabilitation toolkit.
Participants were encouraged to explore the toolkit’s intricacies and share their questions and
concerns. The session also facilitated discussions on the toolkit’s utility at the country level.

Routine health information systems at country level

Dr Anh Chu (Unit Head, Department of Data Analytics and Delivery for Impact, WHO) introduced
the WHO toolkits for RHIS, emphasizing their role in connecting facility-level data and survey
data within the broader framework of national health sector monitoring. This integration
supports progress tracking towards UHC and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Dr De Groote:
“When we work with countries to strengthen the Routine Health Information System for
rehabilitation, we are not working in isolation because we are working in a system that
is also used by other health programmes.”

34
Implementation examples

Dr Fitsume Kibret Getachew (Senior Program Officer, Results for Development) presented
Ethiopia’s experience implementing RHIS for rehabilitation in five districts. The presentation
covered the country’s rehabilitation needs, available services, challenges, and how the RHIS
status contributes to making decisions for the improvement of the situation. The process of
developing indicators and their prioritization, data collection, and reporting was discussed.

Dr Khadija Abu Khader (Public Health Officer, WHO-OPT) shared the journey of adopting the
RHIS-rehabilitation toolkit in the occupied Palestinian territory. The presentation highlighted
the burden of noncommunicable diseases and the growing demand for rehabilitation
services locally. Insights into the Palestinian National Health Strategy and the toolkit’s role
in strengthening rehabilitation were provided. The experiences gained from pilot testing,
stakeholder engagement, facility identification, adaptation of the DHIS2 module, workforce
training, and data collection challenges were also shared.

A snapshot of the Q&A discussion

• Question: How long does it take to train service providers for data entry?
• Answer: Typically, it requires three to four days.

• Question: How can the interoperability challenge with software like DHIS2 and the double
data collection burden be addressed?
• Answer: This is a complex issue as countries often have various data collection systems
in place. Addressing it involves early stakeholder engagement, defining consensus-based
indicators, and creating a data collection governance framework at the country level.

• Question: How important is collaboration between academic institutions, nongovernmental

organizations, health sector organizations, and implementers in using RHIS data?
• Answer: Collaboration is crucial for research and implementation. RHIS provides valuable
data for research, including accessibility to rehabilitation and utilization, making it useful
in implementation science protocols. Collaborative efforts can enhance data analysis and
understanding.

35
• Question: How does the guidance document address the challenge of a common vocabulary
and benchmarking data across different countries?
• Answer: The guidance document offers standardized definitions for variables and data
elements, but countries may still adapt these definitions to their operational processes. While
this flexibility is essential for country-specific use, it can create difficulties when comparing
data across countries, especially in international benchmarking.

6.5 Rehabilitation in health financing

Moderator: Dr Pauline Kleinitz

(Rehabilitation Programme, WHO)

The breakout session aimed to introduce the aims, methods and content of the WHO
Rehabilitation in health financing: Opportunities on the way to universal health coverage on
the way to UHC, discussing key opportunities and common challenges in health financing for
rehabilitation.

Mr Adeel Ishtiaq (Program Director, Results for Development, Health Systems Strengthening
Accelerator) outlined the three related functions of health financing: revenue raising, pooling
and purchasing. He also emphasized the critical role of governance components within the
realm of financing.

Key findings from the resource

1. Revenue sources and out-of-pocket expenditure: Rehabilitation funding is derived from
various sources and often falls short, leading to a substantial out-of-pocket (OOP) burden
on individuals. High transportation costs, mainly due to the unavailability of services in
proximity to people’s residences, contribute significantly to OOP expenses. Additionally, in
low- and middle-income countries, development partners play a substantial role in financing.
2. Fragmented financing and coordination: Financing for rehabilitation services tends
to be fragmented across different agencies, and coordination is often inadequate. Some
mechanisms targeting specific population groups raise concerns about uneven coverage,
although they also help ensure equitable access.
3. Exclusion from health benefit packages: Rehabilitation services are frequently excluded
from health benefit packages, and the utilization of contracting is limited in low- and middle-
income contexts.

36
The strategies for moving forward were categorized into two main areas:

A. Creating an enabling environment to enhance rehabilitation in health

financing
1. Document and understand the existing situation for financing rehabilitation;
2. Strengthen Ministry of Health leadership, capacity and planning for rehabilitation;
3. Foster multi-agency coordination for improved financing of rehabilitation services;
4. Invest in health information systems and research;
5. Undertake evidence-based advocacy.

B. Leveraging health financing opportunities and practices for

rehabilitation
1. Increase the proportion of rehabilitation funding from public health revenues;
2. Ensure effective pooling of risk and financial resources across larger population groups;
3. Identify and prioritize evidence-based rehabilitation benefits within health benefit packages;
4. Harness opportunities to reduce OOP costs, particularly for vulnerable populations;
5. Utilize additional revenue sources and mechanisms to expand rehabilitation service
coverage for specific population groups;
6. Employ more strategic purchasing practices for rehabilitation, to incentivize more efficient,
higher-quality and effective services given resource constraints;
7. Ensure funding from development partners is transparent, complements public health
financing, and is channeled through sector-wide mechanisms to play a catalytic role.

Key implementation challenges that emerged during discussion

• A lack of shared understanding and definition regarding rehabilitation in countries
• Limited integration of rehabilitation in the clinical care which can see it under-
represented in the health benefit packages
• Not having the services available at primary care level to begin with, so not
supported in financing, and not including assistive products in the financing
• Limited investment and capacity to collect data, no routine collection of service
outcome measures, and lack of information from national health accounts

The session concluded by highlighting how this resource can be instrumental in informing
decision-making processes related to rehabilitation in health financing at the country level,
emphasizing the importance of translating insights into actionable policies and practices.

37
7. Advocating for rehabilitation

7.1 The need for rehabilitation advocacy

Moderator: Ms Aleksandra Kuzmanovic (Social Media Manager,

Leadership Unit, Department of Communications, WHO)

The session brought together 3 experts, who delved into the critical aspects of advocacy for
rehabilitation, emphasizing the need for clear objectives and well-defined target audiences.

Advocacy theory and communication strategies

Speaker: Professor Sara Rubinelli (WHO Collaborating Center for

Rehabilitation in Global Health Systems, University of Lucerne)

38
Professor Sara Rubinelli highlighted the multidimensional nature of advocacy, emphasizing
its role in not just raising awareness but compelling individuals to take action. She introduced
the concept of advocacy being content-dependent, involving various factors such as the
communicator, the message, the medium, the audience, and the desired effects. The importance
of effectively targeting stakeholders was underlined, navigating the “infodemic,” and maintaining
coherence and consistency in advocacy. The “7 Cs” of a good message – clear, correct, complete,
concrete, concise, courteous, and coherent – were discussed as fundamental principles.

Professor Rubinelli:
“Advocacy is not just awareness raising. ... Making a change from a communication
perspective is not just knowing something is important but it is actually to convince
people to act because otherwise advocacy would not go anywhere.”

User stories: a powerful advocacy tool

Speaker: Mrs Jenny Clarke (Co-founder and CEO, SameYou)

Mrs Jenny Clarke shared her personal journey advocating for rehabilitation, particularly
focusing on young adults with brain injuries. She recounted her daughter Emilia Clarke’s story,
known for her role in Game of Thrones, who experienced a brain injury. The overwhelming
response to Emilia’s story led to the creation of SameYou. Jenny stressed the importance of
collecting evidence and grassroots stories to drive effective change through advocacy. She
emphasized the need for enhanced understanding, empathy, and information about individuals
with brain injuries, highlighting the imperative of increased access to rehabilitation services.

Mrs Clarke:
“What we are trying to do is to gather evidence from the ground, from the grass roots,
from people who really matter the most – people who have actually lived through brain
injury... and come together with one voice.”

39
Advocacy at policy level

Speaker: Ms Elanie Marks (Rehabilitation Programme, WHO)

Ms Elanie Marks underscored the significance of advocacy in shaping policy and driving
demand for rehabilitation. Despite the availability of technical tools and evidence, rehabilitation
often remains underprioritized and underfunded. It was emphasized that advocacy can change
the perception of rehabilitation from an optional service to a fundamental one that benefits
the entire population. The WHA 76.6 resolution on rehabilitation was cited as a testament to
advocacy’s impact but it was highlighted that collective efforts are now needed to ensure its
implementation.

Connecting advocacy efforts

The panelists collectively discussed how WHO could connect advocacy efforts and engage
service users in the Rehabilitation 2030 agenda. The World Rehabilitation Alliance (WRA) was
highlighted as a pivotal initiative hosted by WHO, uniting stakeholders globally and focusing
on rehabilitation advocacy across four key areas: primary care, research, workforce and
emergencies. Interested stakeholders were encouraged to join the WRA. It was noted that
WHO will additionally be scaling up communication efforts for rehabilitation in the coming
months. The importance of appointing advocates within organizations was emphasized, to
champion the cause and create a unified voice. The significance of consistency and coherence
in advocacy was stressed, encouraging knowledge sharing among countries and the creation
of a repository of advocacy practices.

Ms Marks:
“The World Rehabilitation Alliance has the potential to be a real game changer for our
sector. It is a platform where we can all come together, to have a unified voice and to
advocate for rehabilitation.”

Sustainability in advocacy
During the Q&A session and closing remarks, sustainability in advocacy was a central topic.
Panelists emphasized making advocacy relevant to key stakeholders, tailoring arguments,
building advocacy communities, and identifying rehabilitation champions. They also
highlighted the power of human stories in advocacy.

40
The session emphasized the importance of clear messaging, unity among advocates, and
coordinated efforts to drive policy action and raise awareness about rehabilitation. It served
as a reminder that advocacy is not merely about creating noise but about creating meaningful
change in the realm of rehabilitation.

7.2 Closing remarks

Dr Bente Mikkelsen
(Director, Noncommunicable Diseases, WHO):
“As this meeting draws to a close, it is evident that the commitment
to strengthening rehabilitation is stronger than ever. Now is the
opportunity to follow up on the actions outlined in the historic
resolution on rehabilitation that happened earlier this year. The
moment is right for rehabilitation to be valued and given higher
priority in countries. However, achieving this will require collective
effort from all of us.”

41
7.3 Launch of the World Rehabilitation Alliance

The 3rd Global Rehabilitation 2030 meeting was followed by a concert by 3x Grammy award
winner Ricky Kej, and an evening reception to mark the launch of the World Rehabilitation
Alliance (WRA).

The significant occasion was acknowledged with key video remarks from Dr Tedros
Ghebreyesus (Director-General, WHO), and Ms Emilia Clarke (British Actress and Co-founder,
SameYou).

Dr Tedros:
“This new alliance is a powerful demonstration of the collaborative
spirit of the rehabilitation community. By uniting our voices across
sectors, we can raise the profile of rehabilitation and support its
integration in the continuity of care across all countries.”

Ms Emilia Clarke:
“I have suffered two brain haemorrhages. So I know first-hand just
how vital rehabilitation was to my recovery. And it is something that
matters to millions and millions of people all around the world. And
yet still, so many people do not get the access to it that they need.
It is my absolute joy that my organization SameYou…is one of the
photo credit: @ Robert Ascroft inaugural members of the World Rehabilitation Alliance.”

The WRA launch and Ricky Kej’s concert was livestreamed on YouTube on 11 July, with 1,886
views to date.

42
What is the WRA?
The WRA is a WHO-hosted global network of stakeholders focused on
undertaking rehabilitation advocacy activities to support implementation
of the Rehabilitation 2030 initiative. The WRA aims to raise the profile of
rehabilitation at a global, regional, national and local level and to support
efforts to strengthen rehabilitation in health systems through advocacy
actions. To do this, the WRA has two objectives:
1. Conduct evidence-informed advocacy activities
2. Strengthen networking and knowledge sharing within the
rehabilitation sector

Who is involved?
The WRA is made up of 10 Steering Committee members, WHO
Secretariat, and WRA member organizations. The organizations represent
various stakeholder groups, including Member State and State bodies,
intergovernmental organizations, nongovernmental organizations, private
sector, philanthropic foundations, and academic institutions.

How does WRA operate?

All members participate in one or more of the WRA workstreams: primary
care, research, workforce, emergencies and external relations. Each
workstream has a corresponding 2-year workplan, which outlines their
advocacy objectives, target audience and activities.

How do I find out more?

Visit https://www.who.int/initiatives/world-rehabilitation-alliance

43
8. Important links and related resources

3rd Global Rehabilitation 2030 meeting event page

https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2023/07/10/
default-calendar/3rd-global-rehabilitation-2030-meeting

Guide for rehabilitation workforce evaluation

https://www.who.int/teams/noncommunicable-diseases/
sensory-functions-disability-and-rehabilitation/guide-for-rehabilitation-workforce-evaluation

Package of interventions for rehabilitation

https://www.who.int/activities/integrating-rehabilitation-into-health-systems/service-delivery/
package-of-interventions-for-rehabilitation

Rehabilitation in health financing – opportunities on the way to universal health coverage

https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240081826

Routine health information systems – rehabilitation toolkit

https://www.who.int/tools/routine-health-information-systems---rehabilitation-toolkit

Strengthening rehabilitation in health emergency preparedness, response and resilience: A

policy brief
https://www.who.int/activities/strengthening-rehabilitation-in-emergencies

WHA 76.6 Resolution on “Strengthening rehabilitation in health systems”

https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA76/A76_R6-en.pdf

WHO Rehabilitation webpage

https://www.who.int/health-topics/rehabilitation#tab=tab_1

World Rehabilitation Alliance webpage

https://www.who.int/initiatives/world-rehabilitation-alliance

44
Annex 1: List of participants

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
Please note, the following list contains in-person participants only

Member States
Australia Ms Erica Bleakley
Allied Health and Rehabilitation Coordinator,
National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre
Azerbaijan Mr Rovshan Safarov
First Secretary, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Azerbaijan
to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva
Bahamas Ms Heather Hanlan
Director of Rehabilitative Services, Public Hospital Authority, Ministry of
Health and Wellness
Belgium Ms Pascale Delcomminette
Administratice générale Wallonie-Bruxelles International
Burundi Dr Jean de Dieu Havyarimana
Directeur du programme national integre de lutte contre les maladies
chroniques non transmisibles
Croatia Dr Nikica Daraboš
Minister Plenipotentiary, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Croatia to
the UN Office and WHO in Geneva
Ms Monica Stanovic
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Croatia to the UN and WHO,
Geneve, Switzerland
El Salvador Mr Josue Henoch Cruz Garcia
Especialista en Inclusion de la Oficina del Proyecto Creciendo Saludables
Ethiopia Mr Mesoud Mohammed Ahmed
Deputy Executive Officer, Strategic Affairs, Ministry of Health
Mr Ameya Ermias Mulatu
Team lead, Rehabilitation Desk, Ministry of Health
Georgia Dr Tamar Kurtanidze
Head of the department of social protection, Ministry of Internally Displaced
Persons, Labor, Health and Social Affairs

45
India Ms Noorin Bux
Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of
India
Dr Neha Garg
Director, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India
Israel Mr Nitzan Arny
Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations and International
Organizations in Geneva
Ms Meirav Eilon Shahar
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Mission of Israel
to the United Nations and International Organizations in Geneva
Mr Siba Khateeb
Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations and International
Organizations in Geneva
Kenya Dr Peace Mutuma
Health attaché, Permanent Mission of Kenya to the United Nations and
other International Organisations
Lao People’s Dr Khamsay Detleuxay
Democratic Director General of Department of Health Care and Rehabilitation, Ministry
Republic of Health
Nepal Dr Sangeeta Kaushal Mishra
Additional Health Secretary, Ministry of Health and Population
Mr Bisho Rup Khadka
Advisor of Honorable Minister of Health and Population
Pakistan Mr Kamran Rehman Khan
Additional Secretary Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and
Coordination
Russian Ms Anastasiia Bagdateva
Federation Second Secretary, Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the
United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva
Mr Eduard Salakhov
Counsellor, Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the United
Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva
Sierra Leone Mr Ismaila Kebbie
Manager, National Physical Rehabilitation Program, Ministry of Health and
Sanitation
Solomon Islands Mrs Elsie Hilda Ningalo Taloafiri
Director, Rehabilitation and Disability Department, Ministry of Health and
Medical Services
South Sudan Mr Dominic Mading
Deputy Head of Mission, Permanent Mission of the Republic of South Sudan
to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva

46
Spain Dr Pilar Aparicio
Director General of Public Health
Ms Maria Ramiro Gonzalez
Head of Service of the Directorate-General for Public Health
Sweden Mr Thomas Linden,
Director, National Board of Health and Welfare
Syrian Arab Dr Rafif Dahieh
Republic Director, Physical rehabilitation, and prostheses centre
Tajikistan Mr Shodikhon Jamshed
Deputy Minister, Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Tajikistan
Population
Uganda Dr Daniel Kyabayinze
Director Public Health, Ministry of Health
Ukraine Mr Oleksandr Kapustin
Deputy Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations Office
and other International Organizations in Geneva
Dr Mariia Karchevych
Deputy Minister of Health
Mr Vasyl Strilka
Director, Department of High-Technology medical service and innovations,
Ministry of Health
Mr Valentyn Zhakun
First Secretary, Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations Office
and other International Organizations in Geneva
United Kingdom Prof Carolyn McDonald
of Great Britain Chief Allied Health Professions Officer, the Scotland Government
and Northern
Ms Anne Wallace
Ireland
Rehabilitation professional advisor, the Scotland Government
United Republic Dr James C. Kiologwe
of Tanzania Health Attaché, Permanent Mission of the United Republic of Tanzania to
the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva
United States of Dr Theresa Cruz
America Director, National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research, National
Institutes of Health
Ms Kirsten (Kiki) Lentz
Senior Technical Advisor, Rehabilitation, United States Agency for
International Development
Dr Lana Shekim
Director, Voice and Speech Programs, National Institute on Deafness and
Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health
Ms Linda Thumba
Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Technical Advisor, United States
Agency for International Development

47
United Nations and Related Organizations
Ms Ola Abualghaib
Manager, Technical Secretariat UN Partnership on Persons with Disabilities, United Nations
Multi-Partner Trust Fund
United States of America
Dr Raoul Bermejo
Health Specialist, United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund
United States of America
Ms Nathalie De Wulf
Coordinator Health, International Social Security Association
Switzerland
Mr Gopal Mitra
Programme specialist- children with disabilities, United Nations International Children’s
Emergency Fund
United States of America
Mr Jens Schremmer
Head, Office of the Secretary General, International Social Security Association
Switzerland

Other Participants
Dr Rainer Abel
Chair of External Relations Committee, International Spinal Cord Society
Germany
Dr Miguel Acanfora
Secretary, International Association for Gerontology and Geriatrics
Argentina
Mr Ayele Tiyou Adeb
Consultant, Health Systems Strengthening Accelerator, Results for Development
Ethiopia
Dr Shalini Ahuja
Research Manager, Lecturer, King’s College London
United Kingdom
Prof Abdulgafoor M. Bachani
Associate Professor, International Health Director, Johns Hopkins International Injury Research
Unit, Johns Hopkins University
United States of America
Prof Jerome Bickenbach
Swiss Paraplegic Research
Switzerland
Mr Pascal Bijleveld
Chief Executive Officer, ATscale: the Global Partnership for Assistive Technology
Switzerland
Ms Victoria Birch
Communications lead, SameYou Charity
United Kingdom

48
Ms Marieke Boersma
Head of Programme Quality & Innovation, Light for the World
Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
Mr Terrence Carolan*
Managing Director, Medical Rehabilitation, Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation
Facilities (CARF International)
United States of America
Prof Valeria Caso
World Stroke Organization
Italy
Ms Tamara Chikhradze
Results for Development, Health Systems Strengthening Accelerator
United States of America
Dr Vivath Chou
Disability Lead, ACCESS Cambodia
Cambodia
Dr Khamko Chomlath
Deputy Director, Center for Medical Rehabilitation
Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Mrs Jenny Clarke*
Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, SameYou
United Kingdom
Mr Jarrod Clyne
Head of advocacy, International Disability Alliance
Switzerland
Prof Pierre Cote*
Professor, Canada Research Chair in Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Director, Institute
for Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Ontario Tech University, Institute for Disability and
Rehabilitation Research
Canada
Mr John Coughlan
Chair, International Cerebral Palsy Society
United Kingdom
Prof Luc de Witte
President, Global Alliance of Assistive Technology Organisations
Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
Prof Karsten Dreinhofer
Executive committee, Degenerative Conditions, Trauma and Rehabilitation, Global Alliance for
Musculoskeletal Health
Germany
Dr Grace Dubois
Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager, NCD Alliance
Switzerland
Prof Peter Feys *
Professor rehabilitation sciences, Hasselt University
Belgium

49
Prof Gerard Francisco
President elect, International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
United States of America
Mr Bernard Franck
Chief of Party, World Education USAID Okard
Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Mr Francois Friedel
Physical Rehabilitation Program Coordinator, International Committee of the Red Cross
Switzerland
Prof Walter Frontera**
International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
Porto Rico
Ms Bernadette Fulton
International Society of Audiology
Switzerland
Dr Ferdiliza Garcia**
Chair, Committee on Professional Standards and Ethics, Philippine Association of Speech
Language Pathologists; International Association of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Philippines
Mme Alexia Germeau
Portfolio Burundi & Burkina Faso, Health & Rehabilitation, Association pour la Promotion de
l’Education et de la Formation à l’Etranger
Belgium
Dr Abdul Ghaffar**
Senior Technical Advisor, JunAID Family Foundation
Switzerland
Dr Francesca Gimigliano*
President, International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
Italy
Prof Wolfgang Grisold*
President; World Federation of Neurology
Austria
Prof Christoph Gutenbrunner
President-elect, Rehabilitation International
Germany
Prof Abderrazak Hajjioui**
Consultant and Head of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Department, University Hospital
Hassan II Fez; International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
Morocco
Dr Chester Ho
Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Alberta Health Services
Canada
Mr Adeel Ishtiaq
Program Director, Results for Development, Health Systems Strengthening Accelerator
United Kingdom

50
Dr Nawaf Kabbara
Community Based Rehabilitation Global Network
Lebanon
Mr Alexander Kamadu*
Executive Director, International Society of Wheelchair Professionals
South Africa
Ms Angelique Kester
Advisor Rehabilitation and CBR, Liliane Fonds
Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
Dr Fitsume Kibret Getachew
Senior Program Officer, Results for Development
Ethiopia
Dr Carlotte Kiekens
Cochrane Rehabilitation
Italy
Dr Heidi Kosakowski
Head of membership and policy, World Physiotherapy
United States of America
Mr Jonathon Kruger*
Chief Executive Officer, World Physiotherapy
United Kingdom
Dr Mike Landry
President, World Physiotherapy
United States of America
Ms Fiona Lawless
Policy Advisor, Health, Sightsavers
United Kingdom
Mr Ritchard Ledgerd
Executive Director, World Federation of Occupational Therapists
United Kingdom
Dr Matilde Leonardi
Director of Neurology, Public Health, Disability Unit and Coma Research Centre, World
Federation for Neurorehabilitation
Italy
Ms Rachael Lowe
Co-founder and President, Physiopedia
United Kingdom
Ms Monika Mann
Steering Committee member, Health Volunteers Overseas
United States of America
Dr Lemmietta McNeilly*
Chief Staff Officer, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
United States of America

51
Prof Wassilios Meissner
Treasurer-Elect, International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
France
Ms Rachael Moses
Consultant Physiotherapist and National Clinical Advisor Respiratory,
National Health Service, England
United Kingdom
Mr Elmuntasir Mukhier
Administrator, International Federation of Anti-Leprosy Associations
Switzerland
Dr Lars Naesby Hvid
Multiple Sclerosis International Federation
United Kingdom
Dr Nassib Tawa
Centre for Research in Spinal Health and Rehabilitation Medicine
Kenya
Prof Stefano Negrini
Field Director, Cochrane Rehabilitation
Italy
Dr Mary Elizabeth Nelson-Biersach
International Rehabilitation Forum
United States of America
Ms Madeline Niebanck
Founder, Maddi Stroke of Luck
United States of America
Ms Celestine Akua Kosife Numatsi-Esse
Project Officer, International Committee of the Red Cross
Togo
Dr Colleen O’Connell**
External Relations Committee, International Spinal Cord Society
Canada
Dr Francesca Ortali
Head of Projects, Italian Association Friends of Raoul Follereau
Italy
Dr Cliona O’Sullivan
Programme Director, MSc Physiotherapy Programme, University College Dublin
United Kingdom
Ms Emma Pettey*
Senior Humanitarian Programme Officer, CBM
Canada
Dr Wesley Pryor
Principal Advisor, Nossal Institute of Global Health
Australia

52
Ms April Pinner*
Executive Director, Health Volunteers Overseas
United States of America
Mr Scott Reichenbach
President & Co-Founder, Hope Walks
United States of America
Ms Alberta Amissah Rockson**
Rehabilitation Lead, Interburns
Ghana
Ms Sylvia Roozen
Secretary General, International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus
Belgium
Ms Kirsten Saether
Director of Collaboration and International affairs, Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital
Norway
Mr Michael Schwinger*
Specialist Technical Advisory Lead, Community Based Inclusive Development Initiative, CBM
International
Germany
Dr Thongphet Sitthivanh
Center for Medical Rehabilitation
Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Ms Samantha Shann**
President, World Federation of Occupational Therapists
United Kingdom
Dr Brian Bruce Shulman
President, International Association of Communication Sciences and Disorders
United States of America
Mr Sichanh Sitthiphonh
Deputy Country Manager, Humanity and Inclusion
Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Ms Jessica Sparrow
Director, St. Jude Global Rehabilitation Services, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Dr Claire Stewart
Australasian Rehabilitation Outcomes Centre, University of Wollongong
Australia
Dr A. Jon Stoessl
Editor-in-Chief, Movement Disorders
Canada
Dr Emma Stokes**
Vice President for Global Engagement, Trinity College Dublin
Ireland
Mr Claude Tardif**
Past President, International Society of Prosthetics and Orthotics
France

53
Prof Rolf-Detlef Treede
WHO Liaison; Head of Neurophysiology Department, International Association for the Study
of Pain
Germany
Mme Isabelle Urseau*
Director of Rehabilitation Division, Humanity & Inclusion
France
Ms Lisanne van der Steeg
Lobbyist, Liliane Fonds
Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
Dr Susanne Weinbrenner
Medical Director & Head of Department Prevention, Rehabilitation and Social Medicine, German
Pension Insurance, Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund
Germany
Dr Rebekah Wilks
World Federation of Chiropractic
United States of America
Dr Akaki Zoidze
Curatio International Foundation, Health Systems Strengthening Accelerator
Georgia

WHO Collaborating Centers

Dr Kim Bulkeley
WHO Collaborating Centre for Strengthening, Rehabilitation Capacity in Health Systems,
University of Sydney
Australia
Prof David Burke
Professor and Chairman, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre
for Rehabilitation, Emory University
United States of America
Dr Vinicius Delgado Ramos
International Cooperation and Research Support Officer, Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
Institute, University of São Paulo Medical School General Hospital, WHO Collaborating Centre
for Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology
Brazil
Mr Nicola Diviani
Post Doc, WHO Collaborating Center for Rehabilitation in Global Health Systems, University
of Lucerne
Switzerland
Dr Catherine Holloway
Global Disability Innovation Hub Academic Research Centre, Department of Computer Science
University College London, WHO Collaborating Centre for research on assistive technology
United Kingdom

54
Prof Dong-Feng Huang*
Sun Yat-Sen University of Medical Sciences, WHO Collaborating Centre for Rehabilitation
China
Prof Marta Imamura
Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Institute, University of São Paulo Medical School General
Hospital, WHO Collaborating Centre for Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology
Brazil
Dr Wanho Kim
Director General, Rehabilitation Hospital, National Rehabilitation Centre, WHO Collaborating
Centre for Rehabilitation
Republic of Korea
Prof Emerita Gwynnyth Llewellyn
Head, WHO Collaborating Centre for Strengthening, Rehabilitation Capacity in Health Systems,
University of Sydney
Australia
Dr Sara Pullen
Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Rehabilitation,
Emory University
United States of America
Dr Sheila Purves
Executive Committee member, WHO Collaborating Centre for Rehabilitation, The Hong Kong
Society for Rehabilitation
China
Asst Prof. Katherine Rouleau**
Vice-Chair of the Global Health and Social Accountability, and director of the WHO Collaborating
Centre on Family Medicine and Primary Care in the Department of Family and Community
Medicine, University of Toronto
Canada
Prof Linamara Rizzo Battistella
Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Institute, University of São Paulo Medical School General
Hospital, WHO Collaborating Centre for Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology
Brazil
Prof Sara Rubinelli
Vice-Dean Health Sciences and Policy; Full professor of health communication, WHO
Collaborating Center for Rehabilitation in Global Health Systems, University of Lucerne
Switzerland
Asst Prof Carla Sabariego
Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation and Healthy Ageing, WHO Collaborating Center for
Rehabilitation in Global Health Systems, University of Lucerne
Switzerland
Dr Kyungah Song*
Research officer, National Rehabilitation Centre, WHO Collaborating Centre for Rehabilitation
Republic of Korea

55
Dr Kate Stead**
Family Physician, University of Toronto, WHO Collaborating Centre on Family Medicine and
Primary Care
Canada
Prof Gerold Stucki
Director, WHO Collaborating Center for Rehabilitation in Global Health Systems, University of
Lucerne
Switzerland
Dr Kaori Yamaguchi
Senior Researcher, Department of Health and Welfare Services, National Institute of Public
Health, WHO Collaborating Centre for Integrated People-Centred Service Delivery
Japan

WHO Secretariat
Mr Abey Bekele Abebe
Rehabilitation Programme
Dr Khadija Abu Khader
Public Health Officer, Office for West Bank and Gaza
Mr Mohammad Ameel
WHO Regional Office the South-East Asia
Ms Carolina Belinchon
Sensory Functions, Disability and Rehabilitation unit
Mr Philippe Boucher
Unit head, Data Exchange team, Department of Data and Analytics
Dr Anh Chu
Unit Head, Department of Data Analytics and Delivery for Impact
Dr Alarcos Cieza
Unit Head, Sensory Functions, Disability and Rehabilitation
Dr Wouter De Groote
Rehabilitation Programme
Mr Zelalem Dessalegn Demeke
Rehabilitation Programme
Dr Khassoum Diallo
Unit Head, Data, Evidence and Knowledge Management, Health Workforce Department
Dr Antony Duttine
Rehabilitation Programme
Ms Sue Eitel
WHO Regional Office for Europe
Dr Nedret Emiroglu
Country Readiness Strengthening, Health Emergencies Programme
Dr Yasaman Etemadi
Sensory Functions, Disability and Rehabilitation unit

56
Dr John Fogarty
Clinical Services and Systems Unit, Integrated Health Services
Dr Volodymyr Golyk
WHO Country Office, Ukraine
Dr Pauline Kleinitz
Rehabilitation Programme
Ms Weronika Krzepkowska
WHO Regional Office for Europe
Ms Aleksandra Kuzmanovic
Social Media Manager, Leadership Unit, Department of Communications
Ms Nathalie Maggay
WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific
Ms Elanie Marks
Rehabilitation Programme
Dr Bruno Meessen
Senior Health Financing Advisor, Department of Health Financing and Economics
Dr Bente Mikkelsen
Director, Department of Noncommunicable Diseases
Dr Maryam Mallick
WHO Country Office for Pakistan
Dr Jody-Anne Mills
WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific
Dr Pallavi Mishra
Sensory Functions, Disability and Rehabilitation unit
Dr Cathal Morgan
WHO Regional Office for Europe
Dr Alexandra Rauch
Rehabilitation Programme
Dr Leanne Riley
Unit Head, Surveillance, Monitoring and Reporting
Dr Binta Sako
WHO Regional Office for Africa
Dr Hala Sakr
WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean
Dr. Jérôme Salomon
Assistant Director-General, Universal Health Coverage/Communicable and Non-Communicable
Diseases
Ms. Kylie Shae
Access to Assistive Technology, Department of Health Product Policy and Standards
Mr. Peter Skelton
Emergency Medical Teams and Rehabilitation Programme

57
Ms. Arveen Sodhi
Sensory Functions, Disability and Rehabilitation unit
Dr. Abena Tannor
Rehabilitation Programme
Ms. Emma Tebbutt
Access to Assistive Technology, Department of Health Product Policy and Standards
Ms. Kenza Zerrou
Engagement Funds, Banks, Multilaterals

Key
* = WRA focal point
** = WRA workstream co-chair

58
 India

70
Nigeria
Philippines
The United Kingdom

464543
The United States
Uganda

4039
Switzerland
South Africa

33 32
25
Italy The United States
Canada

19
Australia

282826
The United Kingdom
Saudi Arabia
Malaysia

2423
14
Germany Switzerland
Kenya

7
United Republic of Tanzania Canada
Türkiye

20202019
Colombia

6
Cameroon Germany
Ghana

18 18 16
6
Chile Italy
Mexico
Spain

5
Bangladesh Australia
Japan

5
Pakistan Belgium

14 1313 13 13 12 11
Indonesia
Ethiopia

4
24%
Lebanon Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
Greece

4
Online participants
Zambia France
Ireland
Nepal

4
The Americas
Brazil Ukraine
In-person participants

Rwanda

4
Netherlands (Kingdom of the) Lao
Oman
China

3
United Arab Emirates Ethiopia

65%
Belgium

3
Sierra Leone Brazil
Cambodia

10 10 10 10 10 10 9 9 9 9 8 8 8 7 7 7
Ukraine

3
Argentina China
France

14%

2
Viet Nam Kenya
Qatar
Yemen

2
Peru Georgia
Brunei Darussalam

2
Jordan
3%
Nepal
Sri Lanka
51%

Poland

2
European

Togo Russia
Tajikistan

2
Kyrgyzstan India
Zimbabwe
Solomon Islands

2
Norway Spain
Malta

2
Thailand Israel
Egypt
Saint Lucia

45%
2
Seychelles Croatia
Myanmar

1
China, Hong Kong SAR Azerbaijan

59
Country
Country
Somalia
Finland

1
10%

Morocco South Africa

/ Philanthropic
25%

Bahrain

1
Benin Uganda
Eastern Mediterranean

Azerbaijan
New Zealand

1
Afghanistan Lebanon
Armenia

171 individuals

Number of participants
Number of participants

1
South Sudan Bahamas

State
Burundi

NGO / Private Sector

Kazakhstan

1
Palestinian Territories Morocco

19%
Angola

Member
1

66666665555444444444443333333333333333
Singapore Tajikistan

1061 from 131 countries

Liberia
Botswana

1
Sweden Austria
3%
9%

Guinea-Bissau

1
Latvia Solomon Islands
Portugal
Russia Federation 1
Romania Ghana

WHO
Mozambique
1
Georgia South Sudan
Trinidad and Tobago
Iraq
1

Lesotho Tanzania

center
Collaborating
Participants from the different WHO regions

South-East Asia

Burkina Faso
1

Bhutan Sweden

Secretariat
Nicaragua

Participants from different types of organizations

Malawi
1

Czech Republic El Salvador

Sudan
1

Croatia Syrian Arab Republic

Multilateral org
Moldova, Republic of
11%

State of Libya
1

Niger Philippines
26%

14%

Other participant
African

Albania
1

Cyprus Togo
Uzbekistan
Namibia
1

Japan
10%

Bolivia (Plurinational State of)

18% Academia
Grenada

6%
1

Israel Burundi
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Bahamas
1

4%
Chad Sierra Leone
Uruguay
1

Denmark Cambodia
Guyana
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
1

Luxembourg
Korea
Gambia
1

Dominican Republic (the) Norway

Serbia
Korea (Democratic People's Republic of)
1

Pakistan
: Participants in numbers

Tunisia
Chinese Taipei
Western Pacific
14%

Algeria
Barbados
Guatemala
Fiji
Slovenia
2222222222222222222 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Mali
Annex 2: Agenda

PROVISIONAL AGENDA

DAY 1
8:00 Registration
9:00 Welcome and moderation
Dr Jérôme Salomon, Assistant Director-General, Universal Health Coverage/
Communicable and Non Communicable Diseases, WHO
Testimony
Ms Madeline Niebanck, Stroke Survivor, Author, Advocate
Opening remarks
• Dr Jérôme Salomon, Assistant Director-General, Universal Health Coverage/
Communicable and Non Communicable Diseases, WHO
• Dr Pilar Aparicio, Director General of Public Health, Spain
• Deputy Minister Shodikhon Jamshed, Ministry of Health and Social Protection of
Population of the Republic of Tajikistan
• Dr Daniel Kyabayinze, Director Public Health, Republic of Uganda
• Ms Pascale Delcomminette, Administratrice générale de Wallonie-Bruxelles
Internationale
• Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director General, WHO (video message)
10:00 Rehabilitation 2030 in the context of the resolution on ‘Strengthening
rehabilitation in health systems’ endorsed at the 176 World Health Assembly
Dr Alarcos Cieza, Unit Head, Sensory Functions, Disability and Rehabilitation, WHO
10:30 Morning tea

60
11:00 Change where it matters most; Progress and lessons for strengthening
rehabilitation in countries
Moderator: Dr Pilar Aparicio, Director General of Public Health, Spain
Speakers:
• Multipronged approaches to strengthen rehabilitation in Nepal: Dr Sangeeta
Kaushal Mishra, Additional Health Secretary, Ministry of Health and Population,
Nepal
• Supporting leadership and planning in countries: Ms Heather Hanlan, Director of
Rehabilitation Services, Public Hospitals Authority, Ministry of Health and Wellness,
Bahamas
• Collaboration to develop and implement national rehabilitation plans in West
Africa: Ms Celestine Akua Numatsi Esse, Project Officer, International Committee
of the Red Cross, Togo
• Progress in expanding and strengthening rehabilitation services in Laos
PDR: Dr Khamsay Detleuxay, Director General of Department of Health Care and
Rehabilitation, Ministry of Health, Laos PDR
12:00 Lunch
EMERGENCIES (PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE AND RECOVERY)
13:00 Lessons from the field: How prepared are we to respond to rehabilitation needs
in emergencies?
Moderator: Dr Nedret Emiroglu, Country Readiness Strengthening, Health
Emergencies Programme, WHO
Stories from:
• Conflict: Ms Mariia Karchevych, Deputy Minister of Health, Ukraine
• Disaster: Mr Ismaila Kebbie, Manager, National Physical Rehabilitation Program,
Ministry or Health and Sanitation, Sierra Leone
• Outbreak: Dr Rachael Moses, National Clinical Advisor Respiratory, NHS England
14:00 Launch of the WHO policy brief: Strengthening rehabilitation in health emergency
preparedness, readiness, response and resilience
Dr Hala Sakr, Regional Adviser, Violence, injuries and disabilities; and UAE Desk Officer,
WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean
Mr Peter Skelton, Emergency Medical Teams and Rehabilitation Programme, WHO
14:20 Afternoon tea

61
 HEALTH FINANCING AND SERVICE DELIVERY
14:50 Including rehabilitation in health financing to expand access to rehabilitation
services
Moderator: Ms Kenza Zerrou, Engagement Funds, Banks, Multilaterals, WHO & Dr
Bruno Meessen, Senior Health Financing Advisor, Department of Health Financing
and Economics, WHO
Presentations and panel discussion
Overview to rehabilitation in health financing and ways forward. Ms Tamara
Chikhradze, Results for Development, Health Systems Strengthening Accelerator
Using evidence to inform policy and action on rehabilitation in Scotland. Prof
Carolyn McDonald, Chief Allied Health Professions Officer, The Scottish Government
Defining a health benefit package inclusive of rehabilitation in Georgia, Dr Akaki
Zoidze, Curatio International Foundation, Health Systems Strengthening Accelerator
15:45 Launch of the WHO Rehabilitation in health financing: Opportunities on the way
to universal health coverage
Dr Pauline Kleinitz, Rehabilitation Programme, WHO
Dr Jody-Anne Mills, Disability, Rehabilitation, and Long-Term Care, WHO Western
Pacific Regional Office
16:00 Launch of the Package of Interventions for Rehabilitation
Dr Binta Sako, Technical Officer, Universal health Coverage/Healthier Populations,
WHO African Regional Office
Dr Alexandra Rauch, Rehabilitation Programme, WHO
Energizer
16:20 Enablers and drivers of expanded financing for evidence-based services
Moderator: Ms Kenza Zerrou, Engagement Funds, Banks, Multilaterals, WHO & Dr
Bruno Meessen, Senior Health Financing Advisor, Department of Health Financing
and Economics, WHO
Roundtable:
• Dr Ola Abualghaib, Manager, Technical Secretariat UN PRPD, UN Multi-Partner Trust
Fund
• Ms Tamara Chikhradze, Results for Development, Health Systems Strengthening
Accelerator
• Prof Emerita Gwynnyth Llewellyn, Head, WHO Collaborating Centre for
Strengthening, Rehabilitation Capacity in Health Systems, The University of Sydney
• Prof Carolyn McDonald, Chief Allied Health Professions Officer, The Scottish
Government
• Dr Akaki Zoidze, Curatio International Foundation, Health Systems Strengthening
Accelerator
17:15 Day 1 close
Dr Alarcos Cieza, Unit Head, Sensory Functions, Disability and Rehabilitation, WHO

62
DAY 2
9:00 Welcome to Day 2
Recap: Dr Alarcos Cieza, Unit Head, Sensory Functions, Disability and Rehabilitation,
WHO
WORKFORCE
9:10 Information driven advocacy and action to strengthen the rehabilitation workforce
Moderator: Dr Khassoum Diallo, Unit Head, Data, Evidence and Knowledge
Management, Health Workforce Department, WHO
Stakeholders:
• Dr Nassib Tawa, Centre for Research in Spinal Health and Rehabilitation Medicine,
Kenya
• Dr Ferdiliza Garcia, Chair, Committee on Professional Standards and Ethics,
Philippine Association of Speech Language Pathologists
• Mr Ritchard Ledgerd, Executive Director, World Federation of Occupational
Therapists
10:10 Launch of the Guide for Rehabilitation Workforce Evaluation
Dr Jody-Anne Mills, Rehabilitation Programme, WHO
Dr Cathal Morgan – Disability, Rehabilitation, Palliative and Long-Term Care, WHO
EURO
10:30 Morning tea
HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEMS
11:10 Interactive panel: Bridging the knowledge gap – Evidence generation for decision-
making and action for rehabilitation
Moderator: Dr Leanne Riley, Unit Head, Surveillance, Monitoring and Reporting,
Department of Noncommunicable Diseases, WHO
Panellists:
• Moving step by step towards using routine information for service delivery
decisions,
• Mr Mesoud Mohammed Ahmed, Deputy to the Executive Officer of Strategic Affairs,
Ministry of Health, Ethiopia
• Clinical evidence for policy and service delivery decisions, Dr Chester Ho,
professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Alberta Health Services, Canada
• Health policy and systems research for policy decisions, Dr Kaori Yamaguchi,
Senior researcher, Department of Health and Welfare Services, National Institute of
Public Health, Japan
• Rehabilitation Data on the World Health Data Hub, Mr Philippe Boucher, Unit
head, Data Exchange team, Department of Data and Analytics, WHO
12:10 Launch of the Routine Health Information Systems - Rehabilitation Toolkit
Dr Wouter De Groote, Rehabilitation Programme, WHO
Mr Ameel Mohammad, Technical Officer (Assistive Technology), WHO Regional Office
for South-East Asia
12:30 Lunch

63
13:30 Technical breakout rooms
In-depth exploration of new WHO products
Room 1: Package of Interventions for Rehabilitation, led by Dr Alexandra Rauch
Room 2: Guide for Rehabilitation Workforce Evaluation, led by Dr Jody-Anne Mills
Room 3: Emergencies, led by Mr Peter Skelton
Room 4: Collection and analysis of routine data for rehabilitation, led by Dr Wouter
De Groote
Room 5: Rehabilitation in health financing, led by Dr Pauline Kleinitz
15:30 Afternoon tea
ADVOCATING FOR REHABILITATION
16:00 The need for rehabilitation advocacy
Moderator: Ms Aleksandra Kuzmanovic, Social Media Manager, Leadership Unit,
Department of Communications, WHO
• The power of advocacy, Professor Sara Rubinelli, WHO Collaborating Center for
Rehabilitation in Global Health Systems
• The importance of user driven advocacy, Ms Jenny Clarke, Co-founder and
CEO, SameYou
• WHO’s work on advocacy for rehabilitation, Ms Elanie Marks, Rehabilitation
Programme, WHO
16:45 Putting the resolution into action to strengthen rehabilitation in health systems:
What’s next?
Dr Antony Duttine, Technical Lead, Rehabilitation, WHO
17:00 Closing
Dr Bente Mikkelsen, Director, Noncommunicable Diseases, WHO
17:30 Concert on the occasion of the launch of the World Rehabilitation Alliance
Ricky Kej, 3x Grammy Award Winner Ricky Kej | Grammy Award Winner | India
18:30 Reception

64
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