The deadly faith of Azerbaijani children born after the Chernobyl catastrophe

Children born in families of Azerbaijan Chernobyl victims suffer a severe form of blood cancer, problems in development of limbs, mental retardation and other problems, Chairman of the Azerbaijani Chernobyl Union of the Disabled Mirhasan Hasanov said.

"About 2,000 children were born in families of Azerbaijanis who took part in eliminating the aftermath of the Chernobyl accident from 1986 to 1990,” Hasanov said.

"Currently we are working on registering all those who have suffered the most due to Chernobyl catastrophe, and try to provide them with the needed assistance".

On April 26, 1986, Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the first ever nuclear energy plant in Ukraine, became a symbol of the largest man-made disaster in the history of mankind.

In September 2003, Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma proposed to the member countries of the Commonwealth at the CIS summit to declare April 26 International Day of Remembrance for the victims of radiation accidents and catastrophes. The Council of CIS Heads of State supported the proposal.

As many as 7,000 Azerbaijanis were involved in eliminating aftermath of Chernobyl from 1986 to 1990; 2,000 of them have died, Hasanov said.

According to him, people with Chernobyl disabilities receive a pension, one-time assistance worth 150 AZN, as well as a presidential scholarship.

"People with disabilities of the first group receive 90, the second group - 70, the third group - 50 AZN,” he added.

Every citizen of Azerbaijan, participant of the Chernobyl tragedy, has a lifelong disability status and gets presidential pension and social assistance since December 1993.


/Trend Life/