Inadequate rehabilitation facilities for the disabled

Inadequate facilities for social rehabilitation

Nature

Rehabilitation is still often perceived by the public, and even by the medical profession, as a sophisticated and complex process aimed at helping the severely disabled to overcome functional limitations due to various impairments such as blindness or locomotor deficiencies; and is not perceived as including the amelioration of those deficiencies resulting from non-visible disabilities, such as mental retardation, or from other mental health problems, chronic diseases and chronic pain.

While rehabilitation has made progress as regards children and people of employable age, the challenge of rehabilitating the elderly has only recently been taken up. One of the main reasons for the slow development in this area might be the unduly pessimistic view of the value of treatment, held not only by the old people themselves, their relatives, friends and neighbours, but also, regrettably, by health personnel.

Background

The global inadequacy of rehabilitation facilities for the disabled gained prominence in the mid-20th century, as post-war injuries and the polio epidemic exposed systemic gaps in care. International attention intensified following the 1981 UN International Year of Disabled Persons, prompting comparative studies that revealed persistent disparities in access and quality worldwide. Despite subsequent policy initiatives, reports from organizations such as the World Health Organization continue to highlight widespread shortfalls in rehabilitation infrastructure and services.

Incidence

Globally, millions of people with disabilities face significant barriers due to inadequate rehabilitation facilities, with the World Health Organization estimating that only 1 in 10 individuals in need have access to appropriate assistive services. This shortfall is particularly acute in low- and middle-income countries, where limited infrastructure, insufficient funding, and a shortage of trained professionals severely restrict access to essential rehabilitation care, exacerbating social and economic exclusion.
In 2022, a report by Human Rights Watch highlighted the dire situation in Lebanon, where the collapse of the healthcare system left thousands of disabled individuals without access to basic rehabilitation services, resulting in deteriorating health and increased dependency.

Claim

Due attention is not always paid to all the contributing factors of the disability, whether medical, social, psychological, occupational or economic. It is not always realized that rehabilitation is not just a uni-directional process during which the patient is simply an object, but an active process involving the disabled person and the therapist or the rehabilitation team; nor that it is not only a process of the individual adapting to the environment, but also one of changing the latter to meet the needs of people with certain restricted abilities.

Counter-claim

The claim that inadequate rehabilitation facilities for the disabled is a significant problem is greatly exaggerated. In reality, most communities already provide sufficient resources and support for disabled individuals. Modern technology and social programs have bridged many gaps, making additional investment unnecessary. Focusing on this issue diverts attention from more pressing societal concerns. The current level of rehabilitation services is adequate, and further emphasis on this topic is unwarranted and unproductive.