Health Minister Calls On Development Partners To Support Programmes On Autism

The Minister of Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, in Abuja on Thursday called on development partners to support Federal Government's programmes on autism.

Chukwu, while briefing the press on the World Autism Awareness Day slated for April 2, expressed concern over the lukewarm attitude of some parents toward their children with the disorder.

He urged the people to stop associating autism with witch craft and other bizarre beliefs describing autism as a complex developmental disorder that primarily affected the brain.

The minister said, “It is characterised by the inability of affected persons to develop communication skills and normal social interactions, thereby hampering learning and other behaviours.

“Affected individuals have altered sensory perceptions and may inappropriately react to situations.

“Whereas, there is no cure per se, it has been established that early diagnosis and application of appropriate intervention is associated with good outcome, and that is why we are really talking about it.''

Chukwu said that “everybody is predisposed to having a child with autism because the cause of the disorder is not known'', and urged communities to stop stigmatising families whose children had autism.

He called on the media to increase awareness about the condition in order to correct the erroneous belief and encourages people to seek help.

Also speaking, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Zainab Maina, said that the challenges faced by persons with autism remained “enormous''.

“The current prevalence of autism in many countries is causing serious challenges in areas of health care, education and training of such individuals with the disorder.

“Persons with autism face barriers that isolate them from the world around them, there is, however, the need to integrate these exceptional persons that include children, into their environment.

This she said became necessary to help this class of people living with the condition to achieve their full potential.

In her contribution, the Minister of Education, Prof. Ryqayyatu Rufa'I, said her ministry had developed teaching technique of handling children with autism.

Rufa’l called on parents not to hide their children with such condition at home, but endeavour to present them for medical assistance.?