Over 700 Moldovans with disabilities transition to community living
In recent years, the Republic of Moldova has made significant progress in advancing the inclusion of people with disabilities by aligning national policies with international standards, said Ludmila Malcoci, Executive Director of Keystone Moldova, during an appearance on Good Morning on Moldova 1.
According to her, the country has developed specialized social services that allow people with disabilities to live within the community rather than in residential institutions. To date, more than 700 people with disabilities have successfully transitioned, with many starting families and joining the workforce.
The lack of support services remains the biggest challenge for people with disabilities in our country. Ludmila Malcoci noted that individuals often wait several years to access personal assistance.
“In the Republic of Moldova, we have over 6,000 personal assistants, but not everyone has access to personal assistance. The waiting lists are very long. Some individuals with intellectual disabilities may not need a personal assistant but instead require a support person or mentor in their daily lives to help them integrate effectively into society,” said the Executive Director of Keystone Moldova.
She also emphasized the importance of efficiently implementing policies and ensuring greater access to assistive equipment for people with disabilities.
“The policies are well-intentioned, but their implementation remains lacking… The focus must be on support services for these individuals, particularly assistive equipment. Every individual should receive the specific support they need,” she added.
In the Republic of Moldova, nearly 170,000 people live with disabilities, accounting for 6.7% of the country's resident population. Of these, 11,400 are children aged 17 or younger. These figures were presented by the National Bureau of Statistics in the context of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, observed annually on December 3.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
