African Health Ministers Adopt Regional Strategy to Strengthen Rehabilitation Services

African health ministers have adopted a crucial regional strategy to strengthen and fully integrate rehabilitation services into public health systems across the region by 2035. The strategy aims to address the significant gap in rehabilitation services, which is estimated to leave around two out of three people who need rehabilitation without access to the required care. The Regional Rehabilitation Strategy 2025-2035 aims to prioritize rehabilitation as an essential health service, which can contribute to cost savings across the health sector by supporting timely discharge from inpatient care and reducing the use of expensive treatments.

Key Takeaways:

• The African health ministers adopted a regional strategy to strengthen rehabilitation services by 2035, with a goal of 60% of countries having a national rehabilitation plan and a dedicated budget.
• The strategy aims for 60% of primary health facilities to integrate rehabilitation services as part of essential health services.
• The ministers are called upon to lead health sector reforms, allocate domestic funds for personnel and infrastructure, train the workforce, include data on rehabilitation in national health surveys, and expand access to services.
• The strategy prioritizes rehabilitation as an essential health service, which can contribute to cost savings across the health sector by supporting timely discharge from inpatient care and reducing the use of expensive treatments.
• The Regional Rehabilitation Strategy 2025-2035 aims to address the significant gap in rehabilitation services, which is estimated to leave around two out of three people who need rehabilitation without access to the required care.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa endorsed the strategy, which is expected to be implemented in over 50 countries in the region.

Statistics:

• An estimated 210 million Africans require rehabilitation services.
• Around two out of three people who need rehabilitation do not have access to the required care.
• 60% of countries in the region are expected to have a national rehabilitation plan and a dedicated budget by 2035.
• 60% of primary health facilities in the region are expected to integrate rehabilitation services as part of essential health services by 2035.

Sources:

• World Health Organization. (Aug. 26) - World Health Organization issued the following news release.