In Georgia, almost 1.5 million people – over one third of the population – experience difficulty functioning in their environments. Rehabilitation services are designed to optimize functioning and reduce disability in individuals, enabling higher quality of life and increased productivity. For many years in Georgia, rehabilitation services were designated only for individuals with a legal disability status and funded through the social sector budget. This led to inadequate financial coverage and service provision for most of the population in need of rehabilitative care.
Under the Health Systems Strengthening Accelerator project, Results for Development worked with Curatio International Foundation (CIF) to support Georgia’s Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs to ensure quality and accessibility of care by integrating rehabilitation services into the Universal Health Coverage Program (UHCP).
This learning brief chronicles and summarizes Georgia’s journey to integrate rehabilitation services into the health system. It describes the strategies, approaches, and actions undertaken throughout this transformative process, and offers practical insights and lessons learned from a developing country context. This resource can serve to guide program managers, technical assistance suppliers, and implementers of similar endeavors in other lower- and middle-income settings.
Key lessons learned discussed in the brief include:
- Data limitations and solutions: Tailoring activities and selecting tools according to available data is essential. This approach guarantees interventions are data-driven and customized to meet a country’s specific healthcare needs and resources efficiently. This project effectively addressed data scarcity by utilizing global estimates and collaborating with countries with relevant regional experience.
- The power of a participatory approach: Inclusive stakeholder engagement was crucial for the success of the Georgia rehabilitation program. Frequent engagement, including consultations with subject matter experts and service providers, ensured inclusivity, transparency, and the development of contextually relevant solutions.
