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Overview The aim of this guidance is to enhance the capacity of health care facilities to protect and improve the health of their target communities in an unstable and changing climate; and to empower health care facilities to be environmentally sustainable, by optimizing the use of resources and minimizing the release of waste into the […]

Mental, neurological and substance use conditions account for a large and growing proportion of the world’s disease burden; as many as 1 in 8 people worldwide live with a mental health condition. Yet 85% of people with mental disorders receive no treatment at all.   WHO’s Special Initiative for Mental Health (SIMH) seeks to address this service and […]

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, known more commonly as ICF, is a classification of health and health-related domains. As the functioning and disability of an individual occurs in a context, ICF also includes a list of environmental factors. ICF is the WHO framework for measuring health and disability at both individual and […]

An estimated 1.3 billion people – or 1 in 6 people worldwide – experience significant disability. Persons with disabilities die earlier, have poorer health, and experience more limitations in everyday functioning than the rest of the population due to health inequities. These health inequities arise from unfair conditions that affect persons with disabilities disproportionally, including […]

WHO recognizes long-term care services as an essential part of an integrated continuum of care and crucial to achieving universal health coverage, within the context of population ageing. Investment in integrated and person-centered health and long-term care services that respond to the diverse needs and preferences of people experiencing declines in functional ability is necessary […]

Overview   The International Standards for the Treatment of Drug Use Disorders was prepared by World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to support Member States in developing and expanding effective, evidence-based and ethical treatment for drug use disorders, especially in less-resourced settings. They provide key principles for organizing […]

Depending on the rehabilitation need, one or more health professionals may collaborate to provide comprehensive care. The most common rehabilitation professionals include physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, audiologists, orthotists and prosthetists, clinical psychologists, physical medicine and rehabilitation doctors, and rehabilitation nurses. However, many more exist, and the professionals can vary between countries.   Source

Globally, 1 in 3 people live with a health condition that benefits from rehabilitation. These needs are spread across the lifespan, from children with congenital and intellectual impairment to young adults with physical limitations resulting from unintentional and war-related injuries to older people experiencing chronic disease or difficulties associated with ageing. These rehabilitation needs will […]

Although the need for rehabilitation is increasing globally, many countries are unequipped to respond to existing needs. In some low- and middle-income countries, more than 50% of people do not receive the rehabilitation services they require. Rehabilitation services are often under funded and under valued, particularly in countries without strong health systems. Rehabilitation helps to […]

Overview Rehabilitation is defined as “a set of interventions designed to optimize functioning and reduce disability in individuals with health conditions in interaction with their environment”. Put simply, rehabilitation helps a child, adult or older person to be as independent as possible in everyday activities and enables participation in education, work, recreation and meaningful life […]