The situation of the rehabilitation in Uzbekistan

Abstract

Introduction
The purpose of this paper is to contribute to those who would be involved in rehabilitation in Uzbekistan and who require deepening their understanding of medical and welfare system of the country. The research has significance in the sense that there are very few Japanese articles that touch upon the rehabilitation system and also people with disabilities in Uzbekistan until present.
Method
The information was collected from August 2010 to June 2012. During the two years of my work as a physical therapist at the National Centre of Rehabilitation and Prosthesis Invalids in Uzbekistan, the research methodologies were formal and informal interviews, observations and field visits.
Results
In Uzbekistan, these is no educational system which can give a diploma of physical therapist or occupational therapist, therefore, medical doctors and nurses play significant roles to see patients and to practice therapy in the Rehabilitation Centre.
By observing the situation at the Rehabilitation Centre, there were many differences between Uzbekistan and Japan in environment of rehabilitation. In Uzbekistan, more than half of patients had some orthopedics diseases. Also, the annual number of patients admitted to the Centre was above 4,000 as well as the average number of days for hospitalization in the Centre was around two weeks.
Conclusion
Observing the situation of the Rehabilitation Center in Uzbekistan, medical perspective is taken into consideration as one and only important methodology in rehabilitation. On the other hand, social and vocational rehabilitations are not well-considered in the Centre. It is crucial to include and develop the social and vocational rehabilitation systems for people with disabilities to fit in the community as they were before.