Strengthening the Rehabilitation System in Ukraine

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine has increased demand for rehabilitation services, exacerbating preexisting deficiencies in the rehabilitation system.

This policy brief examines Ukrainian legislation, scientific and grey literature, and findings from stakeholder consultations to reveal persistent marginalization of persons with disabilities (PwD) and limited inclusion in education, employment, and public life. The rehabilitation system and its governance remain fragmented and overly institutional, resulting in poor continuity of care, weak interdisciplinary collaboration, and limited community integration. Resource provision is strained by the war and rising demand for assistive devices. Yet, the influx of humanitarian and development actors presents an opportunity to rebuild and modernize systems and narratives.

We propose (i) establishing an integrated governance and coordination mechanism for rehabilitation services (ii) launching scalable patient pathway models linking hospitals, community-based rehabilitation, and accompanying service providers, and (iii) developing a case management system for smooth assistive device provision.

Improving Ukraine's rehabilitation ecosystem can advance destigmatization, social reintegration, and a rights-based disability framework, offering lessons for other conflict-affected contexts.