Qatar to mark World Autism Day today

Qatar joins the world to observe the World Autism Awareness Day today under the theme Empowering Women and Girls with Autism. TheMinistry of Public Health (MoPH) and a number of other organisations inthe country are organising activities throughout the month of April.The events include workshops on the methods of communicating with peoplewith autism, in order to increase awareness among parents and employeesin healthcare institutions.Qatar Autism, Hamad Medical Corporation,Primary Health Care Corporation, Sidra Medical, Mada AssistiveTechnology Centre of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications,Biomedical Research Institute of Hamad Bin Khalifa University andShafallah Center for people with special needs, will take part in theactivities. Assistant to Minister of Public Health for HealthAffairs and head of national autism committee Dr Saleh Ali al-Marri saiddue to Qatar’s interest in the health of all its residents, its givegreat importance to those with autism, to improve their lives. Herevealed that the National Autism Plan (2017-2021) aims to improve theirlives and their families, whereas the recently launched national healthstrategy 2018-2022 has identified seven priority population groups,including those with special needs.He said the National Autism Planhas been launched as a result of collective action by all relevantgovernment agencies, civil society organisations and families ofautistic people, and is also being implemented through this fruitful andconstructive co-operation to improve the lives of autistic people andreduce the burden on their families.The national plan lists 44 goalsto be implemented by 2021. The goals focus on programmes to increasepublic awareness, facilitate early diagnosis and improve the quality ofinterventions and services, as well as continuity of care and meaningfuldevelopment in education and social participation.The ministry saidQatar played a major role in raising awareness on autism global. In2007, Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser supported the campaign whichcalled for marking a day for autism, during the 62nd session of the UNGeneral 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 raiseawareness about autism in their communities.Autism is a lifelongcondition that affects how an individual communicates with others andhow they perceive the world around them. People diagnosed with it getaffected in different ways and to varying degrees, and in most cases itis unknown.The UN General Assembly decided in 2007 that April 2 willbe recognised as World Autism Awareness Day to highlight the need toimprove the lives of children and adults living with the condition, itwas the first to be celebrated in 2008.