A bill on assistance to People with Disabilities is expected to be tabled in the next sitting of parliament.

Minister for Health and Medical Services, Clay Forau, says government's support for people with disabilities totals to more than seven hundred thousand dollars under it's recurrent budget.

Mr Forau says the support goes to areas such as physiotherapy services, occupational therapy, speech therapy, rehabilitation workshop and community based rehabilitation.

He says there is also a 300-thousand dollar support from the Health Sector Support Program funded by ASUAID, and other contributions from other NGOs such as the Pacific Leprosy Foundation which contributes 500-thousand dollars.

Mr Forau says there is also support from CSP towards government's community based rehabilitation projects.

The Health Minister says there is also a partnership project between the Health and Education Ministries which has a funding of about 350-thousand dollars.

Meanwhile, the Health Minister confirms that the government through his Ministry already has a national policy on disability 2005 to 2010 in place.

Mr Forau says the revised draft is now with him and it is likely to be tabled in the next sitting of parliament.

The Health Minister was speaking in parliament in response to questions about government's assistance to people with disabilities.


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