Minister of Family and Social Services, Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, announced that the Ministry increased this year's budget to 2.8 billion TL to carry out Ulusal Vefa Programı more effectively and comprehensively.

Minister Göktaş stated that with Ulusal Vefa Programı, the Ministry did not leave older persons, persons with disabilities and citizens with severe chronic diseases in need, unable to meet their fundamental needs and unable to fulfill their own self-care, alone.

Stating that the Ministry was working for persons with disabilities and older persons to lead a healthy and active life, Minister Göktaş said, “The Ministry is continuing the efforts to improve social service models in accordance with the needs of citizens and the conditions of the day.”

Therefore, Minister Göktaş reminded that the Ministry allocated 1.6 billion TL to the Ulusal Vefa Programı last year to meet the fundamental and essential needs of older persons and persons with disabilities and said, “ It is crucial for persons with disabilities and older citizens to be cared for at home in a way preserving their family integrity. Accordingly, the Ministry has increased this year's budget to 2.8 billion TL to ensure that Ulusal Vefa Programı can be carried out more effectively and comprehensively.”

It is being implemented throughout the country

Underlining that the teams would regularly visit the households of persons with disabilities and older citizens and ensure their home and personal cleaning, Minister Göktaş stated that these resources would be transferred to Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundations in certain periods for the support, transformed into a national program and implemented throughout the country.

128.000 people have benefited

Noting that through the Ulusal Vefa Programı, the Minister Göktaş stated that the Ministry provided home and personal hygiene services for older persons, persons with disabilities in need who are unable to meet their fundamental and essential needs through personal care, and citizens who cannot fulfill their own self-care due to severe chronic illnesses, the Minister pointed out: “Approximately 128.000 citizens have benefited from Ulusal Vefa Programı, which became a national program in August 2022, so far.”

Stating that the Ministry continued its services to increase the participation of older persons and persons with disabilities in social life and to meet their needs, Minister Göktaş said: “The Ministry will continue awareness-raising efforts to protect the living standards deserved by persons with disabilities and older citizens. The Ministry will always be with them in the direction of meeting all their needs.”