Visually Impaired Citizen Files Comptroller Complaint Over Braille Display Delays
A visually impaired Israeli citizen has filed a complaint against the Ministry of Welfare over severe bureaucratic delays in subsidizing essential Braille displays, citing heavy financial hurdles and systemic failures.
Avihai Sheli, a visually impaired and hard-of-hearing citizen, has lodged a formal complaint with the State Comptroller accusing the Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs of severe bureaucratic delays that severely impacted his livelihood and independence. According to Sheli, the specialized Braille display critical for his daily work broke down roughly two and a half years after purchase, yet he was forced to wait over three months just to secure exceptional approval for subsidized replacement.
Speaking to the press, Sheli noted that he is aware of dozens of similar cases affecting other blind individuals across the country. He explained that following a fraud scheme uncovered in late 2024, the ministry tightened subsidy conditions for acquiring Braille displays, extending the mandatory interval between subsidized purchases from four years to seven years. Sheli argues that these devices simply do not hold up mechanically over such an extended timeframe.
Financial Barriers and Bureaucratic Hurdles
Furthermore, the ministry's requirement that applicants pay the full retail cost of the device upfront—totaling 14,500 shekels—before receiving a partial reimbursement later creates an insurmountable financial barrier for many. Most blind individuals simply do not have over 14,000 shekels in cash to finance such an acquisition out of pocket, Sheli emphasized, noting that the system effectively locks vulnerable citizens out of essential employment tools.
After finally receiving approval in February 2026, Sheli paid 14,300 shekels for a new Braille display. However, the 80 percent reimbursement of 11,440 shekels was only transferred to his account in July, more than five months later. The ministry attributed the delay to a failure by an external contractor to process the paperwork on time, but Sheli insists the issue points to a deeper systemic failure.
Call for Systemic Reform
Sheli is now urging the State Comptroller to investigate the ministry's handling of the matter, establish binding turnaround times, deploy an accessible tracking system, and reinstate the previous policy where eligible recipients paid only 20 percent upfront while the state settled the remaining balance directly with the supplier.
«For me, a Braille screen is not a luxury. It is my eyes. It is my livelihood, my independence, and my dignity,» Sheli stressed.
During the prolonged waiting period, Sheli managed to scrape by professionally by using older backup screens and borrowing equipment from visually impaired acquaintances who were traveling abroad. Only after he enlisted the intervention of senior officials in the welfare minister's office and media figures did the ministry fast-track his exceptional approval.
Ministry Response
In response, the Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs stated that it handled Sheli's case with sensitivity and professionalism while maintaining direct communication with him. The ministry claimed that the delay stemmed from issues regarding the transfer of required documents through external channels rather than internal negligence, adding that once complete paperwork was received, the reimbursement was duly processed. The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the continuous functioning, independence, and employment of people with visual disabilities.
