Warning from a Civil Activist about the Non-Payment of Health Allowance: 'Welfare' is Playing with the Lives of Paralyzed and Bedridden Individuals

Behrouz Marouti, the director of the Disability Campaign, announced that the Welfare Organization has not paid the 600,000 Toman allowance designated for the hygiene supplies of paralyzed and bedridden individuals, stating that the delay in payment is 'playing with the lives of these individuals.' In an interview with ILNA news agency, he said, 'The 600,000 Toman allowance has not increased in the new year and only covers 10% of the hygiene costs for bedridden individuals.' He noted that providing hygiene supplies for a paralyzed or bedridden person costs at least 6 to 7 million Tomans per month. Marouti expressed concern that the price of hygiene supplies has increased by about '15%' in the past week and questioned the Welfare Organization officials, 'How can a paralyzed person provide their minimum necessary hygiene supplies with the 600,000 Toman that has not yet been paid?' He explained that the delay by the Welfare Organization will have irreparable consequences for paralyzed and bedridden individuals, as the lack of timely access to hygiene supplies can lead to 'severe infections, bedsores, gastrointestinal and urinary problems, and even death.' He criticized the director of the Welfare Organization in Alborz Province, who claimed, 'We have no paralyzed individuals waiting,' adding that other categories of bedridden beneficiaries, such as 'autistic children, are still waiting for nursing rights or hygiene supply allowances.' This rights activist warned that the Welfare Organization is concealing the statistics of deaths among disabled individuals due to a lack of hygiene supplies, reporting that 'last year, news about the deaths of 170 members of an association due to a lack of hygiene supplies was circulated, which was deleted by the Welfare Organization.' He attributed the government's inability to provide supportive budgets for beneficiaries as the main reason for these deaths. The ongoing issues faced by disabled individuals and the government's neglect have led to continuous protests by these individuals in front of various governmental agencies. In this context, Zabihullah Khodayian, head of the General Inspection Organization, stated on December 4 of last year that 'if officials step up, many of the problems of disabled individuals will be resolved.' The website 'Asr Iran' also emphasized in a report on March 4, 2023, that 'disabled individuals have repeatedly gathered in the snow and cold or heat in front of the Parliament, the Ministry of Health, or any organization that could help solve their problems, hoping that someone will hear their cries.' According to this media outlet, disabled individuals are forced to wait for hours in the streets with wheelchairs until someone in Iran hears their voices. It is noteworthy that Article 27 of the Law on the Support of Persons with Disabilities obliges the government to 'provide a livelihood allowance for individuals with very severe or severe disabilities who are unemployed and without income at least equal to the annual minimum wage and to allocate the necessary credits in the annual budget laws of the country,' but this part of the law has not been implemented so far. The continuation of the 'suspension of benefits' for thousands of beneficiaries by the Targeted Subsidy Organization has left disabled individuals without holiday bonuses or differences in benefits; the government is unable to fulfill its commitments. The murder of an autistic child in Isfahan highlights the lack of government support and the increase in violence against vulnerable citizens.