Qatar joins the world to observe the World Autism Awareness Day today under the theme Empowering Women and Girls with Autism.
The
Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and a number of other organisations in
the country are organising activities throughout the month of April.
The events include workshops on the methods of communicating with people
with autism, in order to increase awareness among parents and employees
in healthcare institutions.
Qatar Autism, Hamad Medical Corporation,
Primary Health Care Corporation, Sidra Medical, Mada Assistive
Technology Centre of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications,
Biomedical Research Institute of Hamad Bin Khalifa University and
Shafallah Center for people with special needs, will take part in the
activities.
Assistant to Minister of Public Health for Health
Affairs and head of national autism committee Dr Saleh Ali al-Marri said
due to Qatar’s interest in the health of all its residents, its give
great importance to those with autism, to improve their lives. He
revealed that the National Autism Plan (2017-2021) aims to improve their
lives and their families, whereas the recently launched national health
strategy 2018-2022 has identified seven priority population groups,
including those with special needs.
He said the National Autism Plan
has been launched as a result of collective action by all relevant
government agencies, civil society organisations and families of
autistic people, and is also being implemented through this fruitful and
constructive co-operation to improve the lives of autistic people and
reduce the burden on their families.
The national plan lists 44 goals
to be implemented by 2021. The goals focus on programmes to increase
public awareness, facilitate early diagnosis and improve the quality of
interventions and services, as well as continuity of care and meaningful
development in education and social participation.
The ministry said
Qatar played a major role in raising awareness on autism global. In
2007, Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser supported the campaign which
called for marking a day for autism, during the 62nd session of the UN
General Assembly which was unanimously approved by all UN member states.
In addition to setting April 2 as the World Autism Awareness Day,
the resolution encouraged member states to take measures to raise
awareness about autism in their communities.
Autism is a lifelong
condition that affects how an individual communicates with others and
how they perceive the world around them. People diagnosed with it get
affected in different ways and to varying degrees, and in most cases it
is unknown.
The UN General Assembly decided in 2007 that April 2 will
be recognised as World Autism Awareness Day to highlight the need to
improve the lives of children and adults living with the condition, it
was the first to be celebrated in 2008.
