Evaluation of a Philippine community based rehabilitation programme

In 1991, the Philippine Department of Health implemented a Philippine Model of the World Health Organisation's Community Based Rehabilitation Programme initiative in pilot areas. The objective of this study was to explore whether, after seven years of operation, the Programme had actually been implemented as planned. The study was conducted in one pilot area in Rosario, La Union, a rural district of Luzon. The research used audit methodology to compare planned services with actual services. The main audit techniques used were record review, in-depth personal interview and focus group discussions. The study showed that such a programme, if properly organised and managed, can meet the needs of the people with disabilities who need rehabilitation. The Community Based Rehabilitation Programme represents a simple cost-effective approach for the delivery of disability prevention and rehabilitation services, particularly in rural areas that have little access to such services.