The number of disabled people in Belarus has increased by 4 thousand people or 0,8 % in 2011. That was reported to the correspondent of BelTA by the head of the department of physically challenged people’s affairs in Ministry of labor and social protection Rita Sushko.
According to operational data, there are 508.4 thousand disabled people who are registered in agencies for labor, employment and social protection. Also their specific gravity in the population’s total number increased: from 5.4 % in 2010 to 5.4% in 2011.
Rita Sushko explained that the increase of this index is caused by the population’s total number reduction with the increase of the number of disabled people (also because of the change in the criteria for disability, and application of high medical technologies which allows to save lives of people who used to be considered desperately ill). And the main growth of number of disabled people is formed by retired people.
The specialist marked that the number of all categories of disabled people has increased. Now there are 73.5 thousand disabled people of I group in Belarus, more than 271.2 thousand of II group, almost 138 thousand of III group, and also 25.7 thousand disabled children under 18.
The implementation of government’s program activities for disabilities prevention and invalid’s rehabilitation for 2006-2010 allowed to stabilize and decrease the indicators of primary disability among people of working age and to increase complete rehabilitation’s index. To create the conditions for sustained increase of level and quality of life of veterans, people, who suffered from the effects of the war, elderly people and physically challenged people and to improve efficiency and availability of social protection, the Comprehensive program of social services development for 2011—2015 years was approved, and also a state program to create the barrierless environment for disabled people for 2011-2015 years.
Rita Sushko highlighted that Belarus is going to accede to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It will be an important international and state act, showing the willingness to create accessible environment for disabled people and to provide services that ensure independent living for physically challenged people. The purpose of the Convention is to encourage, protect and ensure realization of all the human rights for the disabled people.
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