Lawmaker wonders why number of people with disabilities increasing

AKIPRESS.COM - To date, Kyrgyzstan has 31,800 people with disabilities under 18-years-old, said Labor Minister Ulukbek Kochkorov during the session of the parliament's budget committee on Nov 11. "What is the reason for that?" asked MP Tariel Jorobekov.
"This is natural process. The index increased by 10% over the past 5 years. We have 187,000 people with disabilities, including 31,800 of them are minors," Kochkorov said.
"Currently, we are working on mother and newborn protection program. The neonatal screening and examination of newborns for hereditary diseases is being held. This may lead to decrease of disability. Doctors get advance warning about the newborns diseases and take measures," said Health Minister Kosmosbek Cholponbayev.