 Preventionand care for children with physical disabilities 254.Since 1999, the Ministry of Public Health has a prevention policy and care for disabled persons focusing on physical disabilities. 255.The Motor Rehabilitation Centre of Madagascar (CRMM) and the Madagascar Equipment Centre (CAM) are public rehabilitation facilities offering rehabilitation care and readaptation in residency. The target population is mainly for infants. The CRMM is the only centre currently performing orthopedic surgery for children: 79 interventions in 2003 and 179 in 2006, most surgical cases are referred to the centre at an advanced stage. 256. The total number of cases monitored as part of the partnership between NGOs and the CRMM has increased from 2,068 in 2003 to 2,979 in 2006. 257.The Paramedic Training Institute of Antananarivo has provided training for physiotherapists and orthopedic technicians. In 2007, access to these two sectors was interrupted. Efforts are being made to provide training to the rehabilitation services staff. 258.With regard to the prevention of polio, Madagascar is currently on track to be certified "polio-free" thanks to progress of the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), the Reaching Every District approach (ACD), the rate of Polio 3 coverage rose from 77.8% in 2001 to 94.2% in 2006.13 259.A favorable situation is observed in rehabilitation structures whereby if the effects of polio have taken centre stage for years, now they are relegated to the seventh or even the tenth place among the leading causes of morbidity which are supported in these services. 260.The prevention and detection of impairments of children aged 0 to 5 years led to the development of a manual for health care providers. Routine screening of birth defects was initiated at some health facilities. Because of lack of resources, the multiplication of the guide is fraught with difficulties, and the extension of screening to other health facilities is limited. 261.In 2004, Madagascar joined the global initiative for the elimination of avoidable blindness by the year 2020 or Project "VISION 2020" "Right to Sight", which is a partnership between the WHO and the IAPB (International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness). 262.For its part, the goal of the National Eye Health Programme is being implemented to strengthen the fight against blindness and visual impairment. 263.The data available permits to estimate more than 25 000 children between 0-15 13 Source : Analysis of the situation of children in Madagascar 0 draft, 2008 41