"Role and promise of health policy and systems research in integrating " by Abdul Ghaffar, Abdulgafoor M. Bachani et al.
 

Role and promise of health policy and systems research in integrating rehabilitation into the health systems

Abdul Ghaffar, Department of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Abdulgafoor M. Bachani, Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, Health Systems Program, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America.
Adnan A. Hyder, Center On Commercial Determinants of Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington DC, United States of America.
Alarcos Cieza, Department of Noncommunicable Diseases, Rehabilitation and Disability, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
Aneel Bhangu, NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Global Surgery, Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TH, United Kingdom.
André Bussières, Département Chiropratique, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada.
Diana C. Sanchez-Ramirez, College of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Manitoba, Manitoba, Canada.
Dorcas B. Gandhi, Department of Neurology, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, India.
Jeanine Verbunt, School for Public Health and Primary Care, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine Maastricht The Netherlands; Adelante, Center of expertise in rehabilitation and audiology, Hoensbroek, The Netherlands.
Kumanan Rasanathan, Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, WHO, Geneva, Switzerland.
Louise Gustafsson, The Hopkins Centre and School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Pierre Côté, Department of Noncommunicable Diseases, Rehabilitation and Disability, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
Rajiv Reebye, Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research and Faculty of Health Sciences, Ontario Tech University, Ontario, Canada.
Roger De la Cerna-Luna, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Hospital Nacional Edgardo Rebagliati Martins, EsSalud, Lima, Peru.
Stefano Negrini, Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University "La Statale", Milan, Italy.
Walter R. Frontera, Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Physiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, PO Box 365067, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Sureshkumar Kamalakannan, Department of Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom. Sureshkumar.kamalakannan@northumbria.ac.uk.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

10-9-2024

Journal

Health research policy and systems

Volume

22

Issue

1

DOI

10.1186/s12961-024-01235-2

Keywords

Disability; Health policy and systems research; Health systems; Low- and middle-income countries; Rehabilitation; Rehabilitation 2030; Sustainable Development Goals; Universal health coverage; World Health Organization

Abstract

Despite recognized need and reasonable demand, health systems and rehabilitation communities keep working in silos, independently with minimal recognition to the issues of those who require rehabilitation services. Consolidated effort by health systems and rehabilitation parties, recognizing the value, power and promise of each other, is a need of the hour to address this growing issue of public health importance. In this paper, the importance and the need for integration of rehabilitation into health system is emphasized. The efforts being made to integrate rehabilitation into health systems and the potential challenges in integration of these efforts were discussed. Finally, the strategies and benefits of integrating rehabilitation in health systems worldwide is proposed. Health policy and systems research (HPSR) brings a number of assets that may assist in addressing the obstacles discussed above to universal coverage of rehabilitation. It seeks to understand and improve how societies organize themselves to achieve collective health goals; considers links between health systems and social determinants of health; and how different actors interact in policy and implementation processes. This multidisciplinary lens is essential for evidence and learning that might overcome the obstacles to the provision of rehabilitation services, including integration into health systems. Health systems around the world can no longer afford to ignore rehabilitation needs of their populations and the World Health Assembly (WHA) resolution marked a global call to this effect. Therefore, national governments and global health community must invest in setting a priority research agenda and promote the integration of rehabilitation into health systems. The context-specific, need-based and policy-relevant knowledge about this must be made available globally, especially in low- and middle-income countries. This could help integrate and implement rehabilitation in health systems of countries worldwide and also help achieve the targets of Rehabilitation 2030, universal health coverage and Sustainable Development Goals.

Department

Global Health

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