DHAKA: Saima Wazed Hossain, daughter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has been designated as a champion for autism in the World Health Organization (WHO)’s South-East Asia Region for her contributions to fighting against autism.
WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia, located in New Delhi, made the announcement on Saturday (April 1) on the occasion of the World Autism Day observed on April 2 every year.
A press release, issued by the regional office, said that the WHO’s South-East Asia Region designated Saima Wazed as its champion for enhancing commitment and generating awareness and action to address the suffering of autistic children, as well as their parents and caregivers.
The regional office termed Saima Wazed, nicknamed Putul, as a strong advocate for autism.
Praising her, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh said, “Saima’s dedicated and unprecedented efforts have put autism high on the health agenda in Bangladesh, and helped get substantial regional and global attention to autism spectrum disorder and other mental and neuro-developmental disorders.”
She hoped that Saima Wazed will play a vital role as a regional champion to garner momentum for awareness and action for autism in across the region.
Mentioning that autism prevalence rates are estimated at 160 cases in a population of 10,000 or one in 62 children, Dr Khetrapal Singh also said that in the low and middle-income countries, children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) don’t get medical attention and necessary care.
“Their life is a struggle, often marred by stigma, marginalization and discrimination. Autism continues to be a public health challenge which needs to be addressed with more focused efforts,” she added.
WHO has been advocating for political commitment to the needs and services for ASD, scaling-up resources and raising public awareness to facilitate early detection, community-based intervention and multisectoral approach to reduce the impact of ASD.
Among the region’s 11 countries, Bangladesh has made focused interventions for autism and much of the pioneering work has been initiated by Saima Wazed.
In recognition of her work in advancing the cause of ASD, she was honored by WHO South-East Asia Regional Office with Excellence in Public Health Award in September 2014.
Saima Wazed has made important contributions to the regional and global efforts on ASD in her various roles and capacities. She launched the South-East Asia Autism Network in July 2011 and is a member of WHO’s global Expert Advisory Panel on Mental Health.
Saima Wazed is the chair of Global Autism Public Health Initiative, Bangladesh, and National Advisory Committee on Neuro-developmental Disorders and Autism.
She is the founding member of the Mental Health Accessibility Task Force of the Ontario Psychological Association, Toronto, and an international advocate for autism and neuro-developmental disorders for Organization for Global Autism Bangladesh.
As WHO Champion, she will be supporting WHO’s advocacy with member countries for the inclusion of ASD in national policies and strategies, promoting WHO’s mental health initiatives and strengthening research and evidence of ASD for more focused interventions.
BDST: 1608 HRS, APR 01, 2017
EHJ/SR
