Nearly 9,000 Rehabilitation Sessions: Results from Ukrainian Red Cross Mobile Rehabilitation Units After 18 Months
The Ukrainian Red Cross launched its mobile rehabilitation units a year and a half ago to bring essential rehabilitation services closer to people living in the most remote communities across Ukraine. In areas where access to such services is limited or completely absent, Ukrainian Red Cross teams have become a vital link, connecting those in need with professional care.
Since then, the project has significantly expanded — from initial visits in pilot regions to consistent operations across the country. At present, the initiative covers 10 regions: Lviv, Volyn, Rivne, Khmelnytskyi, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Mykolaiv, Poltava, Chernihiv, and Dnipro. By the end of 2025, mobile rehabilitation units will also begin operating in three additional regions: Odesa, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia.
In the first 18 months of operation:
- nearly 9,000 rehabilitation sessions were delivered
- 1,096 beneficiaries received personalised support
- 216 individuals were provided with 405 rehabilitation aids
- 327 caregivers received information and counselling support
The mobile rehabilitation units consist of specialists — a physiotherapist and a physiotherapy assistant — who, during their visits:
- carry out between 3 and 12 rehabilitation sessions
- provide mobility aids (such as walkers, crutches, or wheelchairs), if needed
- assess living conditions and offer recommendations for adaptation
- offer psychosocial support to both beneficiaries and their caregivers
These specialists support people affected by the war, those recovering from illness, injury, or complex surgeries, as well as people with chronic conditions. They also focus on those who care for their loved ones daily, offering practical advice, answering questions, and teaching caregivers how to provide proper support.
Rehabilitation services can be accessed by calling the Ukrainian Red Cross hotline: 0 800 332 656.
Mobile rehabilitation units offer more than just physical rehabilitation — they provide support that helps people take an active role in their communities once again.