Community-based rehabilitation in Lao--comparison of needs and services

Efforts to address all disabilities are still very limited in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR). Nevertheless, certain categories of disability have achieved a higher level of institution-centred attention. This attention is limited to the field of medical rehabilitation (amputees and movement-impaired persons). Further assistance such as education, vocational training and income generation, or attention to other large groups of disabled (deaf/mute and visually impaired persons) is largely non-existent. This article describes several attempts to implement community-based rehabilitation (CBR) strategies. A range of government, non-government, and foreign agencies are attempting to meet the needs of disabled persons in the Lao PDR. It is concluded, based on the evidence available in Lao: that it is easier to integrate the disabled person through education programmes; that there is a need to educate health professionals in the non-medical expectations of any rehabilitation programme; that occupational therapists may be the preferred health professionals to be involved in CBR programmes; and that new CBR programmes are more likely to receive support if they are modelled on existing and successful programmes.