The suffering of people with special needs in Lebanon grows day by day, especially in light of the incapacity of social institutions responsible for this segment of society, amid the economic and financial collapse of the state, which greatly threatens their future sustainability. Numerous calls have emerged since the onset of the crisis, demanding special attention for those with strong willpower, as they constitute the most vulnerable social group in need of protection, or at least to be included in the social assistance programs launched over the past three years.
The issue was raised weeks ago by member of the Democratic Gathering bloc, MP Wael Abou Faour, who met with a delegation representing the majority of social protection institutions in Lebanon. He presented a proposal on behalf of the Progressive Socialist Party to the caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Minister of Social Affairs Hector Hajjar, to which they responded positively, as he announced. He urged individuals with special needs and their families who have not applied to the "Aman" program to submit their requests to benefit from its provisions, especially given the deterioration of the care system that existed in institutions for people with special needs due to the financial and economic crisis.
But what about the details, and how can individuals with special needs apply and benefit from the services of this program? Abou Faour indicated in an interview with MTV that the number of Lebanese who should benefit from the "Aman" program is 150,000 families, and the necessary funds for them are available, revealing that, to date, only 76,000 families have benefited from this program.
Accordingly, Abou Faour explained the "Progressive" proposal, which is based on the number of holders of cards for severe and moderate disabilities, which amounts to 8,000 individuals, requesting their registration in the program after giving them priority in assessments. While Abou Faour pointed out that "the program's criteria did not give importance to individuals with disabilities," he called for a reconsideration of these criteria, confirming that the Prime Minister and the Minister of Social Affairs promised to prioritize people with special needs.
Abou Faour emphasized that "the problem lies in the fact that institutions caring for individuals with disabilities have either gone bankrupt or are now charging in fresh dollars, which exceeds the capacity of many Lebanese families, especially those families that host a special case and all the monthly costs it entails," reminding that conditions such as autism and cerebral palsy cannot tolerate a halt in treatment or care.
He called for the necessity of supporting care institutions so they can continue to open their doors and fulfill their noble social and humanitarian mission. In this context, following the weekly meeting of the technical committee for the "Aman" program, Minister Hector Hajjar announced yesterday that regarding the renewal of the program this year, the state is seeking to borrow from the World Bank, but this mechanism will take a few months. He pointed out that implementation of the program continues to complete benefit for new families and achieve the main goal of benefiting 150,000 Lebanese families, with priority given to those who meet the criteria of people with special needs, the elderly, families with seriously ill individuals, and small families.
In light of this information, it is essential to direct people with special needs and their families to submit their applications through the "Aman" program platform, which offers a reasonable financial amount in fresh dollars to families, which can help protect this segment from marginalization and the catastrophic health, social, and humanitarian repercussions they may face amid the ongoing crisis, given the continued impasse regarding constitutional deadlines and thus prolonging the crisis.
