It is necessary to further change building codes so that people with disabilities have unimpeded access to all premises - MP

The number of people with disabilities in our country is growing due to the Russian-Ukrainian war. To ensure that they do not feel uncomfortable walking on Ukrainian streets and can freely enter any premises, it is necessary to continue to change state building codes. This opinion was voiced by Mykhailo Tsymbalyuk, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Social Policy and Veterans' Rights.

According to the MP, Ukraine is facing problems with barrier-free accessibility. The role of local authorities is also important in this matter, as they must provide for the mandatory installation of ramps or lifts when concluding contracts for the construction of buildings for various purposes.

Unfortunately, the situation is not good, because since 2016-17, we have 300,000 more people with disabilities, and a third of them are those who need special access to all facilities, such as the provision of services, as well as housing. That is why the central government has to make a number of legislative changes to state building codes. This has already been partially done, but they need to be further improved in line with European models. And, of course, local authorities should create conditions: when they conclude investment agreements on construction, leasing, they should provide for people with disabilities to have normal access to all premises without exception

The MP noted that people with disabilities living in old apartment buildings face serious problems. It is difficult to reconstruct them to meet the needs of these people.

For example, during an air raid, especially when elevators do not work, what should they do? Some of them complain that they have not left their homes for years because of such problems

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In the Brovary community of Kyiv region, entrances to apartment buildings will be equipped with lifts to meet the needs of people with disabilities.

Even before the full-scale invasion, we were thinking about this issue, studying the experience of other cities and are now preparing a program. We have many old buildings with stairs that cannot be equipped with ramps. Installing rails is also not an option, because wheelchairs have different widths. And even the front and rear wheels have different widths. So, if a person is a little fatter, the wheelchair becomes wider, and it can't fit on these rails. We decided to equip the entrances to the buildings with electric lifts. A person with a disability who cannot get out of and into a building on their own submits an application for social protection, a specialist gives an opinion on the possibility of installing a lift and its cost, and then the issue of allocating funds is decided. On average, one such lift costs 100 thousand hryvnias. And now it is important to include funds for these needs in the budget for the next year. We also need to resolve the issue of centralized maintenance of these lifts