Two new initiatives for the disabled were announced by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in a post on social media on Tuesday, related to the Disability Certifications Centers (DCC) process and to hiring more doctors at the Centers.
Mitsotakis said that a joint ministerial decision (KYA) between the Ministries of National Economy and Labor is overhauling the list of irreversible conditions, reviewing and expanding the current list. "This is significant because it puts an end to the hardship of our fellow citizens who have 17 specific ailments (surgical, endocrine glands, pulmonary, and circulatory) and who needed to go through committees again and again for certification," the PM said.
The government has already done the same for another 14 irreversible conditions, which with the changes will total 159. "In addition," Mitsotakis said, "the administrative burden at the DCCs will be reduced, as the specific citizens will not require recertification, therefore the reduction of the number of cases seeking certification at DCC means a reduction in time needed to review new cases." Speedier processes mean that the disabled will receive the corresponding supplements and services faster, without resubmission, he underlined.
The second initiative the premier mentioned was the hiring of 700 doctors at DCCs, reaching a total number of doctors to 1,200 (from the current 500). New specialties will also be added, he noted.
Respecting the rights of people with disabilities and supporting them is a priority for the government, Mitsotakis added, and this commitment is proven daily. "We stand by people with disabilities," the premier said, for a society "without exclusions and inequalities" that includes all and serves all.