ISPRM Society

ISPRM Society ISPRM is the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine

04/05/2026

Are we truly prepared for the next global emergency? In our latest ISPRM 2026 speaker preview, Dr. Maria Paul interviews Pete Skelton, the WHO lead for rehabilitation in emergencies. Pete highlights a critical issue: while we recognize rehabilitation as a key component of disaster response, it is still not an integral part of emergency preparedness. This lack of preparation creates a dangerous lag in the first few days of a crisis, which can compromise patient outcomes and lead to a loss of follow-up care.
During his upcoming keynote in Vancouver, he will introduce a new WHO toolkit that walks rehabilitation professionals through the necessary steps to integrate into national preparedness. This essential framework covers everything from personal patient safety to facility evacuation and overall health system coordination. Watch the full interview to learn how proactive planning can make the health response much more efficient and ensure better patient outcomes. We look forward to exploring this vital topic together in Vancouver!

30/04/2026

Can digital solutions and task-shifting realistically bridge the global rehabilitation workforce gap? In this ISPRM 2026 preview, Professor Abderrazak Hajjioui shares that these approaches are essential but not sufficient on their own. He explains that task-shifting can increase access by 50% if well implemented, and community-based models improve equity and access. Furthermore, digital solutions can extend care and training, but they simply don’t replace a strong rehabilitation workforce. Their success depends entirely on system and governance, meaning that rather than overestimating them, we should integrate them into a broader system-wide strategy. He leaves us with a powerful reminder: if we want rehabilitation for all, we must invest not only in infrastructure, equipment, and technology, but in people, by training them, supporting them, and ensuring they remain in the system. Let us know your thoughts on the balance between digital health and human care in the comments below! 👇

🧠 Webinar Recap: "Traumatic Brain Injury in Conflict"On 27 April 2026, the ISPRM Emergency Rehabilitation Committee (ERC...
28/04/2026

🧠 Webinar Recap: "Traumatic Brain Injury in Conflict"
On 27 April 2026, the ISPRM Emergency Rehabilitation Committee (ERC) hosted a powerful webinar that brought together 130+ participants from 15 countries.
Part of the Rehabilitation in Conflict Series — a collaboration with WHO, ISPO, WFOT, and World Physiotherapy — the session featured:
🎤 Keynote: Dr Anas Hassan on TBI in conflict settings
🇺🇦 Field insights: Dr Volodymyr Golyk sharing experiences from Ukraine
🗣️ Moderator: Dr Maria Paul (ERC Secretary)
👥 Panelist: Dr Farooq Azam Rathore (ERC Chair)
The energy, questions, and discussion throughout the 90 minutes showed just how vital this topic is. Thank you to everyone who joined us! 💙

28/04/2026

Is specialist-driven healthcare enough to meet global needs? In this ISPRM 2026 preview, Professor Abderrazak Hajjioui explains that building a sustainable workforce requires addressing migration and brain drain while preventing burnout and supporting professional well-being. He makes a crucial point that specialist-driven care alone is not enough at all. Considering that 80% of rehabilitation needs are in low and middle-income countries, relying strictly on this model is not scalable. To truly create global health equity, we need a blended approach that successfully combines specialized experts with trained non-specialized and community-based providers. Let us know your thoughts on community-based healthcare in the comments! 👇

Dear colleagues, you are cordially invited to attend the joint session WRA–WHO AFRO–ISPRM–ASPRM, which will be held in a...
27/04/2026

Dear colleagues, you are cordially invited to attend the joint session WRA–WHO AFRO–ISPRM–ASPRM, which will be held in a hybrid format on 29 April, as part of the First Congress of the African Society of PRM (ASPRM) joint to the Third congress of the Ivoirian Society of PRM.

Theme: “Strengthening Rehabilitation in Africa: Country Experiences and Health System Integration.”

We look forward to your participation in this important discussion.

Please register using the following link for online participation:

https://lnkd.in/eNtVAneX

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25/04/2026

Why do investments in healthcare infrastructure often fail to deliver effective outcomes? In this ISPRM 2026 preview, Professor Abderrazak Hajjioui highlights a staggering reality. In low-resource settings, up to 90% of needs remain unmet. While many countries invest in infrastructure, equipment, and technology, rehabilitation is fundamentally people-driven, not technology-driven. He explains that the real gap is the workforce, noting that in some low-income countries, there are fewer than two rehabilitation professionals per million people. This situation is even more critical as we face a continuous loss of professionals through migration and brain drain, leaving those who remain increasingly affected by professional burnout and decline mental health. Professor Hajjioui leaves us with a powerful message: you can build facilities, equipment, technology, but without a trained, supported, and retained workforce, there is no effective rehabilitation. Let us know your thoughts on this global health challenge in the comments below! 👇

24/04/2026

📢 Healthcare professionals, researchers, and rehabilitation specialists! We are thrilled to announce an inaugural joint webinar from the ISPRM Spasticity and Pain Special Interest Groups: “Beyond Tone: An Integrated Collaborative Framework for Spasticity-Related Pain.” Discover the clinical significance of pain in spasticity with leading global experts, bridging the gap between neurorehabilitation and pain management.

🗓️ When: April 28, 2026
⏰ Time: 6:00 AM - 7:30 AM (Pacific Time) / 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM (Lisbon Time)
📍 Where: Join via Zoom here 👇
https://zoom.us/j/97735025619?pwd=NDXvzT7ddO5Is7Q9KhAav6GpjY0Vc6.1

Meet our distinguished speakers:
🔹 Prof. Marta Imamura (Clinical Evaluation)
🔹 Prof. Roberto Casale (Pain Specialist’s Perspective)
🔹 Prof. Jörg Wissel (Neurologist’s Perspective)
Hosted by Prof. Rajiv Reebye and Prof. Stefano Carda.

Tag a colleague below who shouldn't miss this! 🤝

🌍 Global Representation in Action! 🌍We are incredibly proud to share that Dr. Maria Paul recently represented ISPRM as o...
23/04/2026

🌍 Global Representation in Action! 🌍

We are incredibly proud to share that Dr. Maria Paul recently represented ISPRM as our nominated delegate at the WHO workshop on the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Toolkit, held in Fiji from April 14–18.

During the event, Dr. Paul connected with rehabilitation colleagues from across the Pacific and beyond, including Fiji, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, the Cook Islands, Korea, the Philippines, and New Zealand. 🤝

The workshop provided vital insights into the structures and protocols required to manage health emergencies effectively and prevent chaos. This knowledge is especially critical for nations located within the "Ring of Fire," which face high risks of earthquakes and tsunamis. 🌊🌋

It was a fantastic networking opportunity and a crucial step in strengthening global rehabilitation efforts in disaster response. Thank you, Dr. Paul, for your dedication and for representing ISPRM on the world stage! 👏

22/04/2026

Why do investments in healthcare infrastructure often fail to deliver effective rehabilitation outcomes? In our latest ISPRM 2026 preview, Dr. Muhammad Tawab Khalil speaks with Professor Abderrazak Hajjioui about the global rehabilitation crisis. Professor Hajjioui reveals that 2.6 billion people worldwide require rehabilitation, yet up to ninety percent of these needs remain unmet in low-resource settings. He powerfully reminds us that rehabilitation is fundamentally people-driven, not technology-driven. You can build facilities and buy equipment, but without a trained, supported, and retained workforce, there is no effective rehabilitation. Professor Hajjioui calls for a blended approach combining specialized and community-based providers, noting that a purely specialist-driven model is simply not scalable for global needs. Watch the full interview to learn how we can strengthen health systems through sustainable workforce development. We look forward to seeing you in Vancouver this May!

19/04/2026

Can proactive planning truly change the outcome of a natural disaster? Dr. Colleen O'Connell shares a profoundly inspiring real-world example from Nepal ahead of her ISPRM 2026 keynote. Knowing they are located in an earthquake-prone area, the Spinal Injury Rehabilitation Center decided to anticipate future disasters rather than just wait for them. They prepared their staff, educated their community, and created detailed contingency plans to manage a massive surge in patients.
Because they practiced these exercises years before the 2015 earthquake, they were completely ready when the disaster struck. They seamlessly expanded their services and provided critical acute and long-term rehabilitation for an increased number of patients. Dr. O'Connell highlights this as the ultimate model for global prevention and emergency preparedness for other countries. Join the conversation on global health in Vancouver this May! 🇨🇦

17/04/2026

When a sudden disaster like an earthquake or conflict strikes, what are the most critical early medical interventions? In this ISPRM 2026 preview, Dr. Colleen O'Connell sheds light on a vital but often overlooked aspect of emergency response. She explains that rehabilitation has a critical role to play in preventing secondary health conditions for both newly injured individuals and persons with existing disabilities.
Preventing these secondary conditions and maintaining skin, bowel, and bladder health are hugely important steps in crisis care. These early interventions ultimately allow people to maintain their health and safely return to their communities. It is a powerful reminder that rehabilitation saves lives and restores dignity even in the most challenging environments. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! 👇

We had a fantastic ISPRM Education Committee meeting today! 🤝🌍 Our team is working hard behind the scenes to advance Phy...
17/04/2026

We had a fantastic ISPRM Education Committee meeting today! 🤝🌍 Our team is working hard behind the scenes to advance Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine education worldwide.

During today's session, the committee focused on:

Curriculum Development: Reviewing the latest surveying efforts for the undergraduate medical education curriculum.

Upcoming Initiatives: Planning and outlining new educational initiatives to be carried out for our global community this year.

Thank you to all the committee members who joined today’s call for their hard work and dedication. Keep an eye on our page for more updates and resources coming your way soon! 📚🩺

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