This statement was delivered by Dr. Lilian Mbau, our Advocacy Committee member for AFRO, at the Seventy-Fifth Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa, under agenda item 9 – Regional Strategy to Strengthen Rehabilitation in Health Systems 2025-2035.
Honourable Chair,
Distinguished Delegates,
The World Heart Federation welcomes the regional strategy and its proposed milestones.
We note with concern that over 210 million people in the African region require rehabilitation services, yet around 63% lack access.
For those who have experienced cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes, the risk of recurrence is high. Cardiac rehabilitation provides evidence-based, cost-effective, interventions that reduce the risk of repeat events, hospitalizations, while helping patients return to productive work.
We urge Member States to:
- Ensure equitable, affordable, access to quality rehabilitation services across the continuum of care and at all levels of the health system, particularly primary care;
- Integrate rehabilitation into Universal Health Coverage health benefit packages, Primary Health Care, NCD strategies, and emergency preparedness plans;
- Strengthen the rehabilitation workforce through pre-service and in-service training, especially in primary health care; and
- Implement the Regional Strategy in line with Resolution WHA76.6 on strengthening rehabilitation.
Thank you.
