Rehab on Wheels (RoW), a mobile rehabilitation initiative jointly implemented by The Association of People with Disability (APD) and ABB India, has completed more than 27,000 rehabilitation interventions during FY 2022–26, exceeding its annual outreach targets while expanding access to rehabilitation services for people with disabilities in rural and peri-urban communities across Karnataka.
Launched in November 2022, Rehab on Wheels was established to address challenges related to the availability, affordability and accessibility of rehabilitation services in underserved regions. The initiative delivers physiotherapy, medical consultations, assistive device assessments, audiology services and caregiver training through mobile rehabilitation units and fixed service centers, enabling communities to access care closer to home.
During FY 2022–26, the initiative also conducted more than 6,000 awareness and community sensitization activities, completed more than 300 assistive device assessments and distributions, and organized 12 medical camps, surpassing planned targets. The program has also strengthened early identification and intervention by collaborating with Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), Anganwadi workers and local stakeholders to improve referral systems and community-based rehabilitation.
“Over the past three years, Rehab on Wheels has evolved into an effective last-mile rehabilitation model that is helping bridge critical gaps in access, affordability and awareness,” said GNV Subba Rao, Global Head of Operations, Center – Automation, and Head of ABB Innovation Center, India. “The initiative is delivering measurable outcomes through improved mobility, reduced pain and greater community participation. Equally important, it is strengthening referral networks and building local capacity to support sustainable rehabilitation at the community level.”
Dr NS Senthil Kumar (PhD Rehabilitation), President of APD Futures at The Association of People with Disability, said the initiative demonstrates the value of collaborative partnerships in expanding access to rehabilitation services. “The scale achieved by Rehab on Wheels and the outcomes witnessed across communities reinforce the potential of community-based rehabilitation models to serve many more underserved populations,” Dr Kumar said.
What began as a single mobile rehabilitation unit has expanded into a fleet of three buses, supported by increasing corporate participation. The expansion is enabling APD to extend rehabilitation services across Bengaluru and surrounding regions while demonstrating a scalable model for inclusive, community-based rehabilitation in India.
Established in 1959, The Association of People with Disability (APD) is a nonprofit organization working to empower people with disabilities through inclusive education, livelihoods, healthcare and community-based rehabilitation. APD has reached more than 600,000 people with disabilities from underserved communities and supports more than 60,000 direct and indirect beneficiaries annually through programs covering 18 of the 21 disabilities recognized under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
ABB India is a technology company focused on electrification and automation solutions that improve industrial productivity and resource efficiency. With a presence in India spanning more than a century and manufacturing operations for more than 75 years, ABB India employs more than 8,000 people across manufacturing, research and development, engineering, design and business services. The company works with customers and partners to advance energy-efficient and digital technologies that support India’s industrial growth and sustainability goals.
