On this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities (3 December), WHO/Europe launched a new resource showcasing real-world strategies to advance disability-inclusive health across the Region. The report, “Good practices on disability-inclusive health”, highlights how countries are working to close persistent health gaps affecting over 135 million people with disabilities in Europe and Central Asia.
Despite progress in many countries, people with disabilities still face stark inequities, including dying up to 20 years earlier than those without disabilities. The resource demonstrates how governments, health providers, and organizations of persons with disabilities are collaborating to change this reality.
“Across all case studies, the message is clear: disability-inclusive health cannot be treated as a segregated project,” said Shirin Kiani, WHO/Europe’s Technical Officer for Disability, Assistive Technology, Rehabilitation, and Ear and Eye Care. “When countries take a health systems approach – backed by sustained financing and clear governance structures in partnership with organizations of people with disabilities – improvements are durable and transformative.”
The report highlights a range of innovative practices making a tangible difference, including real-time sign language interpretation services in Azerbaijan, tailored breast cancer outreach for women with intellectual disabilities in Ireland, inclusive sports and physical activity programs in Turkmenistan, and disability-inclusive emergency preparedness in Iceland. These initiatives align with the principles of The WHO European Framework for Action to Achieve the Highest Attainable Standard of Health for Persons with Disabilities, endorsed by all 53 Member States. At their core, the framework emphasizes rights-based approaches, coproduction with organizations of persons with disabilities, and integration across health, social protection, education, and community services.
The report also offers key recommendations for Member States, such as embedding disability inclusion into mainstream health systems, institutionalizing shared governance with organizations of persons with disabilities, investing in workforce competencies, strengthening disability-disaggregated data, coordinating policies across sectors, ensuring inclusive emergency preparedness, and allocating dedicated funding for disability inclusion.
The findings underscore that raising awareness alone is insufficient. Infrastructure improvements must be complemented by strong data systems, clear accountability, and inclusive service standards to drive lasting change. Investment in structural reforms, including workforce training and strengthened care pathways, can deliver long-term, system-wide improvements, making it easier for people with disabilities to access the health services they need.
