21 JUNE 2011 | Erbil – “Iraq joins the world and pledges to step up efforts to enable access to mainstream services and to invest in specialized programmes to unlock the vast potential of people with disabilities”,  stated H.E. Dr Majid Hamad Amin, the Minister of Health of Iraq.

During the national launch of the Global Report on Disability, that took place at Helena Rehabilitation Centre in Erbil, Iraq, the Minister of Health of the Kurdistan Regional Government Dr Taher Hawramy emphasized that the Government of Iraq represented by the Ministries of Health and their partners were committed to continuing efforts to uphold human and health rights for the estimated two million brothers and sisters living with disability in Iraq. He said, “It is our responsibility to break down the barriers, including stigma and discrimination, as well as to provide people in need with equitable access to opportunities and encourage them to participate and contribute to the development of their communities.”

The first ever WHO/World Bank World Report on Disability was launched globally on 9 June 2011, and was endorsed on 21 June by the Ministries of Health of Iraq, in the presence of the WHO Representative in Iraq, people living with disabilities, activists living with disabilities and media representatives. The report provides the foremost global assessment of disability to date using the latest scientific evidence. It gives also the new prevalence estimates since the 1970s and highlights a number of approaches and recommendations that can be used to enable people with disabilities to access services, infrastructure, information and jobs.

The WHO Representative in Iraq, Dr Syed Jaffar Hussain stated that, “People living with disabilities are part of the society and by addressing their health, education, employment and other development needs we will be able to achieve national health-related strategies and work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals.” 

WHO is supporting the Ministry of Health to strengthen and improve its disability registration system, to ensure health systems are more inclusive and responsive to the needs of people living with disabilities. The data collected through this registration system will show the magnitude of the disability burden in Iraq and will provide evidence that will be instrumental for decision-makers in developing future strategies and plans aimed at improving access to services for these people in need.

Moreover, the Government is expanding the community-based rehabilitation services, which will relieve the current load put on the estimated 123 disability and rehabilitation centres in Iraq.

Mr Hashim Khalil Ibrahim, an activist living with disability, noted that “The decades of consecutive wars were one of the main reasons for an increase in the numbers of people living with disability in Iraq. However, despite the challenges we faced, we have proven to ourselves and to the society at large that we can overcome all these obstacles, resume our normal life and participate in rebuilding our country.”

Dr Hussain reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to continue supporting the Government of Iraq with technical guidance in the areas of policy development, capacity-building, and strengthening the health system. He also stressed that WHO was constantly looking for collaborative mechanisms to better respond to the needs of people with disabilities, “Together with our partners, donors, media and the community, we can help make a big difference.”

 

Access the Global Report on Disability:

http://www.who.int/disabilities/world_report/2011/report/en/index.html