So far, 500 street children and their families in Tehran have been covered by health insurance. The plan seeks to extend free health insurance to all street persons and their families, says the director general for the socially disadvantaged group at the Social Welfare Organization (SWO).
Valiollah Nasr said with the help of NGOs and charitable institutions and in line with government policies, the SWO has launched daycare centers in five provinces; as part of a program called Education and Protection of Children and Families aimed at regulating street children. The daycare centers have been set up in Tehran, Alborz, Hamedan, Khuzestan and Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari provinces to help reduce abuses faced by these children, ISNA reported.
In addition to boarding houses and daycare centers, the official said rehabilitation centers for women, girls, mentally disabled and elderly are also available in Tehran, where the disadvantaged are referred to for rehabilitation. He further said the organization intends to collaborate with the municipal authorities to pick up children from homeless shelters and admit them to welfare centers.
Regarding plans for education of street children, Nasr said currently 11 executive bodies have joined the Street Children Rehabilitation Council. “The ministry of education, as a member of this council, has taken charge of their education,” he added.
Pointing to the health minister’s recent announcement on free health services for street children, Nasr said: “we have asked the health ministry to appoint one medical center in each province where these children can be referred to with their medical problems.”
