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

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