More than 200 thousand rehabilitation devices not received

As of the beginning of March, six months after the publication of the Accounting Chamber's report on the audit of the effectiveness of the use of state budget funds to provide the population with technical rehabilitation equipment, only less than half of the recommendations of this body have been implemented.

At a meeting of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Social Policy and Protection of Veterans' Rights, Deputy Chairman of the Accounting Chamber, Andriy Maisner, emphasized that this situation creates additional risks for the population, including insufficient provision of technical means of rehabilitation and adaptation.

The main reason for these problems, according to Meissner, is the inconsistency and contradictions in the current legal framework for providing people with disabilities with temporary rehabilitation equipment. This is not conducive to the efficient use of public funds and creates preconditions for the anti-social orientation of some aspects of the legislation.

Regarding the procurement of imported components for prostheses, Meisner noted that they are often carried out through intermediaries who inflate prices many times over the officially declared value. This causes serious financial losses and violates the transparency of the use of budget funds.

In addition, the Accounting Chamber found unreliable information from the manufacturing companies regarding the date of providing citizens with technical rehabilitation equipment. This leads to the fact that in the period from 2021 to 2022, citizens did not receive more than 200 thousand such means, although funds from the state budget in the amount of more than UAH 3 billion were fully used.

This situation calls for immediate measures to improve legislation, control the spending of public funds, and increase accountability for the insufficient implementation of rehabilitation programs for people with disabilities. This is the only way to ensure efficient use of budget resources and improve the quality of life of people with disabilities.