The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) invites you to participate in a new edition of EMT Ignite: “Integrating Rehabilitation into Emergency Medical Team Responses”, to be held on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. EST/WDC.
This session will examine rehabilitation as an essential component of the emergency care pathway and its role in ensuring continuity of care during EMT deployments. Experts from PAHO, the Spanish Cooperation’s START Team (AECID), and the Ministry of Health of Ecuador will share operational experience integrating rehabilitation services within EMT Type 2 responses.
The webinar will explore how rehabilitation capacity is planned, organized, and delivered during deployments, and how it contributes to improved clinical outcomes and quality-assured emergency response.
Key Discussion Topics
• Rehabilitation within the emergency care continuum
• Field experience from Hurricane Melissa (Jamaica)
• Integration of physiotherapy and trauma care in EMT Type 2
• Contingency planning for rehabilitation services
• Rehabilitation in stroke management during EMT deployments
Panelists
- Gustavo Pérez Reina, Rehabilitation and Disability Advisor, PAHO, with the topic: "Rehabilitation as an essential component in emergency response."
- Ángel Modrego, Physiotherapist, EMT START T2, AECID, with the topic: "Rehabilitation interventions in the response to Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica."
- Ruddy González, Trauma-Orthopedic Specialist of Mobile Hospital 2, with the topic: “Traumatology and Physiotherapy: a comprehensive approach to emergency health.”
- Carlos Pillajo, with the topic: “Importance of the contingency process for rehabilitation in the EMT Ecuador.”
- Dr. Verónica Pacheco, with the topic: “Importance of Rehabilitation in Cerebrovascular Accidents within EMTs.”
Languages
The event will feature simultaneous interpretation in English and Spanish