The age by which children with developmental delay, with risk of experiencing developmental delay or with disabilities, who can benefit from early intervention services, will be extended from three to five years. There will also be created 24 early intervention centers in districts of the country. The measures are stipulated in an action plan that was approved by the Cabinet, IPN reports.

According to the Ministry of Health, these actions will help to early detect developmental disorders in children and to include these in development and rehabilitation programs. At the new centers, the children will benefit from assistance provided by interdisciplinary teams for realizing their maximum development potential and ensuring their educational and social inclusion.

In the Cabinet’s meeting, Minister of Health Ala Nemerenco said the children’s access to early intervention services that are needed for preventing complications and disability is now limited primarily due to the lack of such centers close to the place of stay and the financial difficulties encountered by families. The development of the national network of providers of early intervention services and strengthening of specialists’ capacities will be ensured with the support of UNICEF Moldova and Lumos. For the new centers to be able to provide early intervention services, they will be allocated money from the mandatory health insurance funds.