Emergency Preparedness and Early Rehabilitation

In conflict and disaster settings early rehabilitation should begin as soon as possible to prevent complications, to speed recovery, to optimize functional outcomes and to ensure the quality and continuity of care. The ICRC aims at a systematized inclusion of early rehabilitation activities in each health response to a conflict. This position paper describes the objectives of early rehabilitation within the continuum of care, proposes recommendations for the preparedness and response phases, presents challenges, opportunities and mitigations measures and serves as advocacy for early rehabilitation.