| Dhaka, July 25 (bdnews24.com) -- The first-ever international conference on autism began in the capital on Monday with regional policymakers endorsing the 'priority actions' to meet the healthcare needs of the children with developmental disorders.
Autistic children's captivating musical show gave the perfect start to the function where politicians, health actors and advocates, civil society representatives and other stakeholders from South East Asia got together.
India's Congress Party chief Sonia Sonia opened the mega gathering and portrayed the challenges of autistic children, venturing some immediate priorities to ensure those children's the dignity and respect.
Sonia, also the chief patron of India-based Action for Autism, hoped the conference would be a 'landmark journey together', in which 'the South Asian Autism Network will play a vibrant role.'
She suggested the developing countries to focus on the interventions that have been found 'effective and relevant' to the regional context.
"But we must examine what impact autism is making on our family structures and culture."
Giving the similarity of social problems and cultural backgrounds, she said, collaborative research projects would greatly help the policymakers and caregivers alike of this region.
She said the disabled do not need only food, education and shelter, but "to be recognised as persons."
Sonia appreciated Bangladesh's role in addressing the health and social issues.
Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina said her government would do whatever possible "within the shortest possible time" to make a significant progress in creating "necessary social and legal infrastructure" for autistic children.
The prime minister said as a leader of a developing country, she has always been 'mindful of the needs of the underprivileged', especially of those who faced the challenges of autistic disorders. And poverty puts their families' fortune at stake.
"It's more challenging for a family living in poverty when they have …(such) a child," she said.
Hasina said in many countries like Bangladesh, people tend to ignore mental illness, and thereby, 'miss the significant benefits the countries could gain otherwise from early detection and timely interventions.'
She said the conference would begin the process of 'cooperation and collaboration' with one another, so that as a region South Asia can develop scientifically sound practices for social application.
As the number of autistic children is rising across the globe with one child per 110 being born with the disorder that robs of their communication and behavioural skills, the leaders said South East Asia is not spare of it.
Sonia said the prevalence is 'widespread' in India with 8 million people with autistic disorders. "But public awareness remains limited."
Bangladesh government estimates 0.15million autistic people in the country.
Sri Lanka's first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa said, "It's not new in this region, but lack of awareness has led to social stigma."
DHAKA DECLARATION
Shiranthi read out the Dhaka Declaration, which was adopted to promote 'stronger and coordinated' actions in the region to improve the access and quality of healthcare services for individuals with autism.
In the declaration, South East Asian countries endorsed to increase the awareness of the rights of autistic children, strengthen healthcare capacity, increase the capacity of professionals and mobilise and allocate human and financial resources for the healthcare of those children.
The declaration recognises that low- and middle-income countries need 'prioritisation and support' for adaptation of methodologies of care according to local context.
It also called upon the governments to strengthen their mental health services and prepare them to attend to the needs of people with developmental disorders.
It appeals the donors to pay attention to the needs of millions of people suffer developmental disability and autism.
"We are inspired by the universal declaration of human rights," the first lady said, reiterating constitutional provisions of respective countries to 'safeguard against all sorts of discrimination.'
MISINFORMATION
The Bangladesh prime minister says the society must have a clear vision to remove social stigma and misinformation about the autistic children, fondly called "gifted" kids.
She said in many developing countries, the rights of autistic and disabled people are rarely recognised.
She said a lack of expertise and treatment centres limit support to those children in these countries.
ENORMOUS CHALLENGE
Sonia Gandhi, also the chairperson of National Advisory Council of India, said autism represents an enormous challenge to our region. "There is much about it that we still do not understand."
Science itself in seven decades of research has not yet found clear answers or explanations for its causes, she said.
The Italian-origin Indian politician ventured a few thoughts of immediate priorities.
The empowerment of parents, vocational trainings of autistics children and creating research institutions could be other major issues to deal with, she said.
"Parents have been the driving force for change. Each family with an autistic child has become a resource for others, creating a ripple effect.
"The stronger this movement grows, the greater will be the pressure on governments to provide more services."
Till then, she said, parents must be helped with the knowledge they need to cope in constructive ways.
She said the problems of autistic adolescents and adults remain relatively 'neglected.' "One cannot but feel for their (autistic child's) parents, and share their pain and worry as they see their young grow to adulthood."
"We must help through vocational training to provide them livelihood support, and prepare them for when their parents are no longer there to support them."
She called it "unfortunate" that in South Asian societies the disabled usually do not command the empathy they deserve.
Global research and advocacy forum Autism Speaks, in collaboration with the Bangladesh government, BSMMU and World Health Organisation (WHO), is hosting the high-profile meet, titled 'Autism Spectrum Disorders and Developmental Disabilities in Bangladesh and South Asia'.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina's daughter Saima Hossain Putul, also a USA-licensed child psychologist, mooted the conference for the greater awareness of the developmental disorders.
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