Performance of Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) in Rural Areas of Islamic Republic of Iran

The situation of people with disabilities in the developing countries should be a matter of great concern. There are today close to 250 million severely and moderately disabled persons in these countries; the annual increase is 10 million. Most of them are poor, dependent neglected, excluded from education, training and jobs; They die early and have no power while alive. Between 15 and 20% of all people new living below the poverty line have a disability: The majority of them have no share in community development programs and are virtually excluded from the public services they need to be prepared for a life in the community. Their human rights are not well protected. It is clear that in this situation an effort should be made to improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities. Countries acting to assist disabled people are motivated by a belief in equality and the desire to limit the severity of disability and the hardship it imposes on individuals and families, as well as to limit the loss that occurs when a part of the population is economically unproductive. All people have the right to health. In order to ensure that right for all citizens, a nation provides opportunities for disabled people to develop and use their physical and mental abilities. The World Health organization is striving to realize health for all. In 1978, the International conference on Primary Health Care, held in Alma-Ata, declared that primary health care would address the main health problems in the community and thus promote Health for All through the provision of promotive, preventive, curative, and rehabilitative services. Following the declaration, WHO developed the strategy of community-based rehabilitation (CBR) as a means of integrating rehabilitation with health and development activities at the community level. The community-based rehabilitation system has in a very short time been introduced to about 90 developing countries.