Belarus presented its experience in social rehabilitation for persons with disabilities at the Third International Conference on the Development of Social and Rehabilitation Services in Tashkent.
Elena Zelenko, Head of the Department for Social Integration of Persons with Disabilities at the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Belarus, presented the country's approach to rehabilitation services.
According to the Ministry, more than 550,000 persons with disabilities live in Belarus, representing around 6% of the population.
Each year, more than 100,000 people receive rehabilitation and assistive products through social protection and health-care organizations, with around 70 million Belarusian rubles allocated from the state budget.
Approximately 1,300 children receive comprehensive rehabilitation each year at the Republican Rehabilitation Centre for Children with Disabilities.
The social rehabilitation system includes 146 territorial social service centres and more than 180 day-care rehabilitation and habilitation units.
Future priorities include expanding access to care and rehabilitation services, digitalizing state support, developing specialized rehabilitation methods, and increasing the participation of persons with disabilities in decisions that affect them.
This article is based on official information from the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus.