The scale of war-related injuries in Ukraine presents an unprecedented challenge for the rehabilitation system. By mid-2024, approximately 100,000 amputations had been recorded across the country. However, access to rehabilitation services remains critically limited: only 4% of hospitals provide inpatient rehabilitation care, and prosthetics and orthopedics services are available in less than 1% of medical facilities, according to a report by the Humanitarian Media Hub citing research by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Health Cluster.
“A vast number of people with amputations and other war-related injuries remain without adequate rehabilitation support,” the report states.
Limited access to rehabilitation means more than just physical barriers for people with disabilities. It also results in the loss of opportunities to return to active life, employment, and social integration. This increases dependence on state assistance, places additional pressure on the social protection system, and slows economic recovery. In the long term, it may affect the country’s demographic structure and employment levels.
