More than Br700 million will be allocated in Vitebsk for the development of social services for veterans and disabled people

January 25, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. Over Br700 million will be allocated in Vitebsk in 2011 for the development of social services for war veterans, lonely elderly people and disabled persons. A comprehensive program for the development of social services has been adopted in Vitebsk, the Vitebsk City Executive Committee's Labor, Employment and Social Protection Department informed a BELTA correspondent. The program provides for a wide range of measures aimed at solving the problems of veterans and disabled persons and promoting the creation of economic and social conditions for health protection and meeting their needs for social services, social assistance, rehabilitation aids and rehabilitation measures. In particular, within two years, an electronic database will be created in the city on social support measures for veterans, disabled persons and elderly people, and on organizations working with them. Day care centers for the elderly with hobby groups and clubs will be opened at territorial social service centers. In addition, it is planned to create and equip rehabilitation workshops for disabled persons at these centers with the necessary equipment and consumables. This year, territorial centers will be included in the list of organizations that are granted the right to sell products made in hobby groups at events held in the regional center without charging for trade space or requiring trade licenses. Thus, conditions will be created for elderly people to receive additional income. Significant attention in the program is paid to providing medical and social assistance. Geriatric offices will be established in all polyclinics. The practice of annual medical examinations for war veterans will continue. The program budget plans to increase the number of caregivers, whose services will be free for lonely infirm elderly people. To rehabilitate children with disabilities, it is planned to build a hippodrome at the Vitebsk City Specialized Children's Hospital. Over the next five years, nearly 300 apartments of lonely pensioners and veterans will be renovated using all sources of funding, and over 4,000 autonomous fire alarms will be installed. Currently, about 70,000 elderly citizens live in Vitebsk, which is every fifth resident. Of these, 14.2 thousand are disabled, 6.4 thousand are lonely elderly citizens, 1.5 thousand are Great Patriotic War veterans, 2.3 thousand are veterans of combat operations in other countries, and 3.5 thousand are victims of the consequences of wars. The regional center is home to 14,000 disabled people, including 739 children with disabilities under the age of 18. -0-