Rehabilitation in Disaster Relief.

ABSTRACT

Rehabilitation plays a crucial role in natural disasters owing to the significant upsurge of survivors with complex and long-term disabling injuries. Rehabilitation professionals can minimize mortality, decrease disability, and improve clinical outcomes and participation. In disaster-prone countries, skilled rehabilitation workforce and services are either limited and/or comprehensive rehabilitation-inclusive disaster management plans are yet to be developed. The World Health Organization Emergency Medical Team initiative and guidelines provide structure and standardization to prepare, plan, and provide effective and coordinated care during disasters. Many challenges remain for implementation of these standards in disaster settings and integrating rehabilitation personnel.