World Autism awareness day: 2 April 2009

Observance of World Autism Awareness Day

On December18 2007, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 62/139 declaring April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day in perpetuity. This UN resolution establishes WAAD as one of only three official disease-specific United Nations days, with the goal of drawing the world’s attention to autism, a neurodevelopment disorder affecting communication, social interaction and behavior. The two other Days are World TB Day on 24th March and World AIDS Day on 1st December.

The WHO Regional Office for South East Asia observed World Autism Awareness Day by organizing a brief programme.

While Dr. Palitha Abeykoon, Director, Department of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health, welcomed the audience, Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh Deputy Regional Director, in her opening remarks highlighted the importance of the day  and delivered the Message of the Secretary General. , For full text see-the link below.

Dr. R.K. Shrivastava, Director General of Health Services, Ministry of Health, Government of India, spoke of his Ministry’s commitment to raising awareness on and promoting interventions for the management of autism as well as in capacity -building of Medical professionals in this area.

Dr. Amit Sen, child psychiatrist, elaborated the etiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders, and discussed some case studies which elaborated the difficulties faced by children and adults with ASD.

Mrs. Indu Chaswal and Mrs. Sudhanshu Grover, parents of two children each with Autism, spoke poignantly and eloquently of their experiences.

Mr. T. R. Swaminathan a SEARO colleague in the PPC Unit Spoke of his experiences in rearing a child with autism and his inability to access appropriate information and interventions.

Mr. Achutyan Guha, an adult with Autism, employed in the NGO sector, and who is married, spoke about his experience of being autistic, and the many ways in which he has learned to cope with the challenges.

Dr. S.Aneja, Head, Dept. of  Pediatrics, Lady Hardinge Medical College, and Dr. Monica Juneja Prof. of Pediatrics, Maulana Azad Medical College, both spoke of the need for early diagnosis and early intervention in autism, and of the need for collaborative efforts to strenghten  research and sustainable/ replicable  service delivery models.

Twelve year-old, Master Bunny, a young man with Asperger’s, received thunderous applause for rendering two songs with great feeling.

The program ended with Dr. Vijay Chandra, Regional Advisor ,Mental Health and Substance Abuse Unit,  WHO/SEARO, while thanking all for their participation, hoped that observance of the day would help in reaching out to people with autism and to start interventions early.