To:
Sri. Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya,
Honourable Minister for Health & Family Welfare
Govt. of India.
New Delhi.

Respected Sir,

Greetings from the Indian Forum for Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology (IFRA)!

Considering that India is a Member of the WHO Executive Board, we are writing to appeal to you to join a core-group of WHO Member States presenting a request to include a resolution on rehabilitation in the agenda of the 2022 World Health Assembly.

From our understanding, countries like Colombia and Israel intend to bring this initiative forward by submitting the request by mid-September 2021, and have activated their diplomatic channels to encourage other Member States to join. Consensus about the need to have a resolution on rehabilitation is increasing.

As you already know, Sir, 2.4 billion people are estimated by a WHO Study to benefit from rehabilitation at some stage in their lives. One in three people need rehabilitation today due to accidents, non communicable diseases, pregnancy, ageing etc. The need for rehabilitation has increased by 63% from 1992 to 2019, which will continue to increase further due to population growth, global health trends, including conditions resulting from COVID-19 and long Covid. Another challenge is the increase in population living in poverty due to the pandemic and shortage of skilled personnel which is estimated as 10 professionals per every one million in many low and middle income countries. Therefore, we believe that it is high time to strengthen commitments on rehabilitation, including community-based rehabilitation, and respond to the huge unmet need globally.

Global estimates of the need for rehabilitation based on the Global Burden of Disease study 2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 - The Lancet.
The purpose of the proposed resolution is to make rehabilitation as  an integral part of Health system at all levels, including via community-based rehabilitation,  in line with Universal Health Coverage and to meet Sustainable Development Goal no.3 and other SDG`s.

A document from Global Rehabilitation Alliance (GRA) https://global-rehabilitation-alliance.org/ - lays out the argument for a resolution on rehabilitation.

We will be happy to provide more information or clarification and to pursue a conversation on this appeal.

Look forward to a favourable response from you.

With our respects and good wishes,
B. Venkatesh (Venky)
Voluntary Convener, IFRA

About Us:
The Indian Forum for Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology (IFRA) is an informal Network made up of Persons with disabilities, their organizations, their family members, CBR practitioners / other service providers, representatives of children, women and older people without disabilities.
The aim of IFRA is to advocate for persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups needing rehabilitation to have access to affordable and quality rehabilitation services and to assistive technology everywhere.

IN SOLIDARITY TO THE ABOVE PETITION: