State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Zahid Malek on Monday told Parliament one out of 500 children is having autism in the country.
“Some 2.80 lakh children are suffering from autism in the country,” he told on behalf of Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammad Nasim in the House, while replying to a question of treasury bench member Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury, quoting social welfare ministry.
The state minister said the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) under health ministry has taken various time-befitting initiatives to curb autism during 2011-2016 under the non-communicable disease control programme.
He said the ministry has opened medical based diagnosis system at Dhaka Shishu (Child) Hospital to identify autism, adding, “The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved a proposal to open centre for flourishing children at 8 state run medical college hospitals along with the national mental hospital.”
Meanwhile, the government set up centre for neurodevelopment and autism in children at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Zahid informed the House.
Source: Prothom Alo
