Rehab on Wheels (RoW), a partnership between the Association of People with Disability (APD) and ABB India, has delivered more than 27,000 rehabilitation interventions across rural and peri-urban Karnataka since its launch in 2022, demonstrating the potential of community-based rehabilitation models in addressing India’s growing unmet need for rehabilitative care.
Operating through mobile rehabilitation units and fixed community centres, the programme offers a range of services including physiotherapy, medical consultations, assistive device assessments, audiology support and caregiver training. By taking rehabilitation services directly to people’s doorsteps, it seeks to reduce dependence on tertiary hospitals and overcome barriers related to distance, cost and limited awareness.
According to programme officials, the initiative has exceeded its annual targets during the 2022-26 period, providing more than 27,000 rehabilitation interventions across Karnataka.
Beyond direct patient care, the programme has undertaken over 6,000 community awareness and sensitisation activities aimed at improving understanding of disability, early identification and timely intervention. More than 300 assistive device assessments and distributions have been carried out, while 12 medical camps have been organised in different communities, surpassing the planned targets.
The initiative has also worked closely with Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), Anganwadi workers and local stakeholders to strengthen referral systems and facilitate early identification of children and adults requiring rehabilitation services.
Speaking on the programme’s progress, GNV Subba Rao, Global Head of Operations, Center – Automation and Head of ABB Innovation Center, India, said the initiative had evolved into an important last-mile healthcare intervention over the past three years.
“Rehab on Wheels has become a critical last-mile intervention bridging gaps in access, affordability and awareness of rehabilitation services. We are seeing measurable improvements in mobility, reduction in pain and greater community participation. Equally important, the programme is strengthening referral systems, enabling early identification and building local capacity, making rehabilitation services more sustainable at the community level,” he said.
Dr. NS Senthil Kumar, President of APD Futures at the Association of People with Disability, said the programme demonstrates how collaborative partnerships can improve access to healthcare for underserved populations.
“Rehab on Wheels stands as a strong example of how innovation and partnerships can address longstanding gaps in healthcare access. The scale achieved and the outcomes witnessed on the ground reinforce our belief that this model can be expanded to benefit many more underserved communities,” he said.
What began as a single mobile rehabilitation unit has now expanded into a fleet of three specially equipped buses, supported by increasing corporate participation. Programme organisers believe the model is scalable and can be replicated in other parts of the country to improve access to rehabilitation services, particularly in remote and resource-constrained settings.
Experts say India faces a significant rehabilitation gap, with many people living with disabilities, neurological disorders, musculoskeletal conditions and age-related impairments unable to access timely therapy because of geographical and financial barriers. Mobile rehabilitation models seek to address this challenge by integrating services within communities rather than expecting patients to travel long distances for repeated treatment sessions.
Founded in 1959, the Association of People with Disability has worked with more than six lakh persons with disabilities from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The organisation currently addresses 18 of the 21 disabilities recognised under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, and reaches nearly 60,000 direct and indirect beneficiaries every year through its various programmes.
ABB India, which has operated in the country for more than a century, has increasingly focused its corporate social responsibility initiatives on inclusive healthcare, education and community development.
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