NEW YORK: Saima Wazed Hossain, chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on Autism in Bangladesh, categorically said the challenges for developing countries to fight autism are stigma and prejudice, limited services, no standardized training for service providers and social and economic isolation.
She further said, “Assistances and ensuring integrated development is necessary to fight autism.”
Saima Wazed Hossain, also the daughter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, made the observations while addressing afternoon session of a panel discussion titled “Science, Collaboration & Answers for the Global Autism Community” at ECOSOC chamber at UN headquarters on April 2.
The discussion was jointly hosted by the permanent missions of Bangladesh and Qatar and Autism Speaks, an autism advocacy organization with worldwide network.
Mentioning that she started working on raising awareness about autism in Bangladesh formally through The Dhaka Conference in July of 2011, Saima Wazed highlighted the programs that are underway in Bangladesh to fight autism.
She further said that 13 ministeries have been working concertedly to raise awareness about autism, identify challenges, and provideand supervise services and rehabilitation.
Saima Wazed, also a renowned child psychologist, said they have formed three committees --- National Steering Committee on Autism, National Advisery Committee and Technical Guidance Committee-- in these regards.
These committees have adopted a Five-Year Plan, helped enacting Disability Law 2013 for the specially disabled children, and established a national trust for neuro-disabled.
Saima further said they have been implementing plans in seven spheres that include--- empower and educate parents, collaboration and convergence of government and non-governemnt departments, identify policies and legal framework, identify areas for building capacities including creating skilled professionals (ASD) and training to existing professionals (NDD), incorporating ASD within existing public health, education, employment training programs and increase accessibility to long-term social safety net services and monitor progress and confuct research.
She said they have been implementing these in six stages where they incorporated people from community medics to university teachers. She also highlighted the results of these programs.
Mrs. Ban Soon-taek, Suzane Wright and Bob Wright, the founders of the Autism Speaks, India’s permanent representative Ashik Mukherjee, Commerce Minister of Bangladesh Tofail Ahmed among others, attended the program.
Permanent representative of Bangladesh in UN AKM Abdul Momen conducted the session.
Governor Jack Markell of State of Delaware of USA presented the keynote in the morning session. Executives from Microsoft, SAP and several other organizations talked about job opportunities for autistic people.
BDST: 1558 HRS, APR 03, 2015
