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  • Social Security Of The Disabled

    SOCIAL SECURITY OF THE DISABLED

    Azat Artsakh - Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
    08 Dec 04

    For years already Nagorni Karabakh officially celebrates December 3
    as the International Day of the Disabled. This is a positive fact in
    the sense that this social group of people who need the assistance of
    the government and the society are enabled to draw the attention of
    the government to their problems. To say that the disabled expect
    much would not be true because they sometimes do not need more than
    a little attention to make them feel happy. Recently there has been
    certain progress on the part of the government in the direction of
    social security of the disabled and solution of their problems. We
    talked to the NKR minister of social security Lenston Ghulian on the
    problems of the disabled. â~@~Mr. Ghulian, what is the situation
    of the social security of the disabled? What steps did the ministry
    take in the current year to solve the problems of the disabled?â~@~]
    â~@~First of all, I would like to mention that the legal, economic
    and organizational questions of the social security of the disabled
    are mainly regulated by the NKR law â~@~On social security of
    the disabled in the republicâ~@~]. According to the law in effect,
    medical aid and service of the disabled is financed from the state
    budget. The disabled of the 1st and 2nd degrees receive free medicine,
    and the disabled of the third degree receive medicine at a 50 per
    cent discount. According to the corresponding decisions of the NKR
    government, the disabled, as well as the guardians of the 1st degree
    disabled with eyesight problems receive monthly allowances for the
    privileges granted by the law. Depending on the place of residence
    the size of the allowance is different. By October 1, 2004 insurance
    sums of 12539.0 thousand and 893.0 thousand drams have been provided
    to 126 persons who became disabled during their military service and
    5 families of killed (dead) servicemen respectively. Prosthesis and
    rehabilitation is provided by the prosthetic and orthopedic service
    under the ministry on the budget means. In 2004 about 700 people used
    this service and the majority were disabled. About 20 million drams was
    provided from the state budget for these services. During 9 months of
    2004 the state non-commercial organization â~@~Stepanakert Prosthetic
    and Orthopedic Centerâ~@~] made 48 artificial lambs and repaired 76
    prostheses. 34 disabled people were provided with wheelchairs, 82
    people with hearing-aids. Crutches were provided as well. With the
    attendance of the ministry nine people received prostheses of eye
    in Yerevan. The â~@~2004 Annual Program of Social Security of the
    Disabledâ~@~] was worked out and included in the NKR State Budget. In
    the sphere of social security of the disabled the care and social
    service of the disabled are also considered important. They receive
    both out-patient medical care and social service and at home. It
    should also be noted that in the sphere of social security of the
    disabled the NKR Ministry of Social Security cooperates with other
    ministries, agencies, local and international organizations.â~@~]
    â~@~This year four members of the public organization â~@~Vitaâ~@~]
    of the disabled azatamartiks received treatment at the resort town
    Saki, which is a positive fact. I wonder whether it will continue
    or it was just an experiment.â~@~] â~@~The disabled would be glad
    to hear that their medical treatment abroad will continue. If this
    year the state budget provided 2 million drams for these costs, in
    2005 this sum will double and total 4 million drams. This means that
    if four people were sent to Saki, in 2005 medical treatment abroad
    will be provided to 8 people. Perhaps some of them will be sent to
    Saki, one or two people will be sent to Kislovodsk or Pyatigorsk
    depending on their disease. In 2005 we intend to involve not only
    â~@~Vitaâ~@~] but also other public organizations dealing with
    the problems of the disabled. In order to prevent the same people
    being sent abroad for treatment. We will try to find sponsors to add
    2 million drams to the planned 4 million to increase the range of
    the medical service.â~@~] â~@~You said that monthly allowances are
    granted to certain groups of disabled according to the corresponding
    decisions of the NKR government. I would like to know whether public
    transport fare is also included in the monthly allowance? This is a
    problem which worries the disabled.â~@~] â~@~Yes, according to the
    corresponding decision of the NKR government the disabled receive
    monthly allowances for electricity, gas, water, as well as transport
    fees. Of course, the sum is not big. In the course of time the size
    of the allowance will increase. We intend increasing the monthly
    allowance to 5 thousand drams since January 1, 2005. With changes of
    the prices for gas, water, electricity it is natural to change the size
    of the allowance.â~@~] â~@~What relationships do you have with the
    public organizations dealing with the problems of the disabled. Do you
    involve them in decision making and discussion of laws connected with
    problems also referring to them?â~@~] â~@~We do our best to assist
    to public organizations dealing with the problems of the disabled.
    Nevertheless, I think, the representatives of these organizations
    should by all means be involved in government discussions. There must
    be joint discussions between governmental and public organizations
    dealing with the problems of the disabled. By the way, they also
    should be interested in this. It is desirable that the disabled
    also be well-aware of the laws referring to them.â~@~] â~@~Does the
    government take measures to integrate the disabled in the society,
    making them full members of the society?â~@~] â~@~To integrate the
    disabled in the society, providing equal conditions for them, as
    well as a number of other questions several bills were worked out and
    presented to the NKR government. One of the conditions to integrate
    the disabled in the society is to provide them with training in some
    field and jobs. We have already started to think in this direction
    but nothing has been done yet.â~@~] â~@~What are your future plans
    for social security of the disabled?â~@~] â~@~A number of public
    organizations dealing with the problems of disabled have applied to us
    for assistance. On December 3 we provided computers to certain public
    organizations, canes and chess for the blind. In the coming year we
    will aid disabled children. By the way, together with the Ministry of
    Education, Culture and Sport we organized an art festival and sports
    competition (for the first time) for the disabled children under 18,
    which lasted on December 1-3. In the process of medical and social
    rehabilitation of the disabled resort treatment is very important. In
    2005 the NKR state fund of social insurance will provide 110 trips
    to resorts for the disabled. We plan a number of undertakings within
    the framework of the program â~@~Annual Program of Social Security
    of the Disabled 2005â~@~]. In 2005 the size of the allowances will
    increase. Disabled children will receive 6000 drams instead of the
    present 4000. The pension of the disabled will grow by an average of
    1500 drams. In short, I may state that there is already a tendency
    of development of the social and economic sectors in Karabakh. The
    people which fought for freedom and independence and won the war
    deserves a dignified life. And our task is to provide a dignified
    life for them.â~@~]

    NVARD OHANJANIAN. 08-12-2004

    --Boundary_(ID_kdM9ZT0c/z6jCGg/hlCyCw)--
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