Autism conference in Dhaka to draw 5,000 representatives

DHAKA, July 15 (BSS) - A five-day autism conference set to begin here later this month is expected to draw nearly 5,000 experts, patients and their parents from different countries while high-profile global figures like Sonia Gandhi are to join
the meet to stimulate social awareness on the issue.

"We are expecting Indian Congress party President Sonia
Gandhi will join as the chief guest of the conference beginning
on July 25", Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU)
vice chancellor Dr Pran Gopal Datta told BSS.

Datta, whose institution is a co-host of the conference
along with Autism Speaks America, added that Gandhi was specially
invited as she played a crucial role in addressing autism in the
neighbouring country as the chief patron of Action Autism India.

The other high-profile dignitaries expected at the meet
included parliamentary Speaker of Pakistan Fahmida Mirza,
Indonesian first lady Ani Bambang Yudhoyono, Sri Lankan first
lady Shiranthi Rajapakse, Maldivian vice president Dr. Mohammed
Waheed Hassan and his wife Iham Hassan.

Organisers earlier said autism expert and chairperson of
Bangladesh National Advisory Committee on Autism Saima Wajed
would moderate the meet while its inauguration session was set to
be chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

They said Saima Wajed, also the premier's daughter who
spearheads a campaign in addressing disorders of neural
development characterized by impaired social interaction and
communication and by restricted and repetitive behavior in
Bangladesh, played a pivotal role in staging the international
event.

The conference also expected to be joined by a number of
health ministers of different countries and chiefs of different
global organisations including the World Health Organization
(WHO). ,

Ministries of foreign affairs, health & family welfare,
social welfare and other government and non-government agencies
extended their hands for the conference aimed at minimising the
miseries of autistic children and their family members.

"We are trying to form a bridge between professionals and
parents of autistic children," said Datta as their BSMMU runs a
specialised unit for the autistic children.

Datta said currently there was no statistics about the number
of autistic patients in Bangladesh as many of them were feared to
be remained undetected or their parents were unaware of the real
problem of their offspring in trouble or preferred not to make it
public for social reasons.

He said the conference would particularly try to generate
awareness for early detection of autism as it could help their
parents to take steps to improve their health condition, early
treatment and early rehabilitation.

"Family care especially from parents was the most important
factor to bring autism victims to the doctor for diagnosis and
treatment . . . but in Bangladesh they are grown up as family
burden and they treated as mad children in society due to lack of
the required awareness," said Datta .

Organisers said the conference would split into two parts
with the second part being a three-day workshop for
psychologists, doctors, autistic patients and their parents.

The two-day conference will be held at the Hotel Ruposhi
Bangla or formerly Sheraton, while the subsequent workshop
sessions will be held at different seminar and conference rooms
of BSMMU.

Posted in: 000 representatives,Autism conference in Dhaka to draw 5