Interview with Prof. Matilde Leonardi – World Congress for Neurorehabilitation (WCNR) Vienna 2022
Interviewee: Professor Matilde Leonardi, Director of Neurology, Public Health, Disability Unit, and Coma Research Centre at Carlo Besta Neurological Institute in Milan, Italy
Interviewer: Stefana-Andrada Dobran
Professor Matilde Leonardi’s involvement with the World Congress on NeuroRehabilitation (WCNR) spans an impressive 24 years, marking her commitment to contributing to the improvement of neurorehabilitation. Rehabilitation remains a dynamic and ever-changing field, driven by global initiatives such as the Sustainable Development Goal for Health (SDG), particularly SDG 3 HEALTH, which recognizes the crucial role of rehabilitation in achieving global health objectives. Additionally, the WHO Rehabilitation 2030 initiative underscores the urgent need to strengthen health systems worldwide to better provide rehabilitation services.
Professor Leonardi emphasized the significance of rehabilitation across all stages of the life course, urging for its integration at all levels of healthcare. The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on rehabilitation was also discussed, and the reinstitution of rehabilitation as an essential health service was pinpointed as a central theme of the Congress. Prof. Leonardi reflected on the evolution of neurorehabilitation, emphasizing the importance of adopting a bio-psycho-social perspective and multidisciplinary approach in patient care to provide comprehensive and effective rehabilitation services.
To support the WHO’s Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders, Professor Matilde Leonardi encouraged the collaborative efforts between the WFNR and the European Federation of NeuroRehabilitation (EFNR). The promotion of brain health and neurology ambassadors was also launched as a means to increase awareness and advocacy, both at a political level and within patient communities.
We kindly invite you to browse our Interview category: https://efnr.org/category/interviews/For sure you will find a cluster of informative discussions with different specialists in the field of neurorehabilitation.
