Bus and taxi companies in Kazakhstan will be required to purchase vehicles adapted for the transport of people with disabilities. Thus, for every 10 cars the taxi companies have, there should be one wheelchair taxi. These and other regulations are contained in the amendments to the bill on improving the quality of lives of people with disabilities. Changes were made to 75 legislative acts. Among the novelties are the exemption of persons with disabilities of the third group from paying notary services and the reimbursement of expenses of people accompanying persons with disabilities during treatment in a sanatorium. 70 percent of the cost of the tour will be reimbursed to them.
“Only three regions of Kazakhstan, namely Nur-Sultan, Pavlodar and Karagandy regions, allocated funds through the local budget for parents and legal representatives accompanying children with disabilities. So, 5.9 billion tenge (US$13 million) is allocated for the implementation of this bill, of which about five billion (US$11 million) are provided for those accompanying these children. It includes accommodation, meals, that is, all these nuances will be paid from the state budget,” said Yelnur Beissenbayev, Member of Mazhilis, the Lower House of Kazakh Parliament.
According to preliminary estimates, at least 62,000 children will go to sanatorium and resort treatment together with their parents or legal representatives within three years. Also on the sidelines of the Mazhilis, Yelnur Beissenbayev added that Kazakhstan will also cancel the annual examination for obvious diseases.
“We have made an amendment on the remote examination of those people who have already been diagnosed with medical illnesses. There are 12 nosological diseases of this kind. This has been implemented in a pilot mode for six months on the instructions of the President. We have now established this practice at the legislative level. The number of these diseases can now be easily increased, it is regulated by legal acts,” Beissenbayev added.
The members of the lower house of the Kazakh Parliament approved the bill on first reading.
Translation by Assem Zhanmukhanova
Editing by Saule Mukhamejanova
