Special care for disabled, senior citizens among IDPs

Lakshmi DE SILVA

The Ministry of Social Service and Social Welfare has taken several measures to improve the conditions of the disabled people and senior citizens among the Internally Displaced Persons living in welfare villages and IDP centres in the North and had spent around Rs. 17.6 million for their services Secretary Mrs. Vijayalakshmi Jegarajasingham told Daily News. The Friend In Need Society in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Services had provided 240 artificial limbs to needy people in the IDP centres and arrangements have been made to provide another 150 artificial limbs to the disabled.

Three libraries were started in Vavuniya and another five reading centres were started in IDP zones at a cost of around Rs. 840,000. Distribution of sewing machines and counselling for more than 25,000 persons with 20 counselling officers from the Social Services Ministry had cost the\Social Service Ministry more than Rs. 57.4 million, INGOs too have assisted in these efforts, she said.

Total number of elders living in the welfare centres were around 19,226 and there were nine senior citizen homes in Vavuniya and Mannar while around 765 senior citizens were settled in those homes. The construction of the new elders' home at Thiruketheeswaram was assigned to the State Engineering Corporation at a cost of Rs. 22.3 million and already Rs. five million rupees has been released. The construction was in progress, she said.

Wheelchairs, crutches and elbows and assisting devices for IDPs were provided at a cost of Rs. 5.6 million while community-based rehabilitation programs for disabled persons and children with the assistance from UNICEF were also conducted by the Social Services and Social Welfare Ministry, she noted.