UNB, Dhaka :
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday urged all, including the international community to work together to ensure a better life for those who live with autism and other disabilities.
“On behalf of my government, my people and my party, my promise is that I’ll be always there with you (autistic people),” she said.
Hasina was making the closing statement at a roundtable discussion for the development of a multifaceted Action Plan titled ‘Addressing Autism Through Partnership’ as a side event of the 32nd Meeting of Ministers of Health of Countries of the WHO South-East Asia Region held at city’s Hotel Sonargaon.
The Prime Minister assured that her government would come up with all-out support to those suffering from autism and other disabilities so that they could get a better life. “I believe not only for my own country, the other South Asian countries and the whole world will have to come forward to deal with this problem.”
Noting that the persons with autism developmental disorders are not at all a burden
for society as well as the country, she also expressed her firm resolve that her government would do its best to ensure development of the physically-challenged people with its limited resources.
Dean of Bloomberg School of Public Health of Johns Hopkins University, USA Dr Michael Klag made comments on public health perspective while Founder & Director of Kuwait Center for Autism and Vice President of World Autism Organization Dr Samira Al Saad spoke on parent and organizational perspective at the event held with noted autism expert Saima Hossain in the chair. Regional Director for WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh made the concluding remarks.
Saima Hossain, also a member of WHO Expert Advisory Panel on Mental Health, made a presentation on the ‘Need for global action through collaborative partnerships’
Indian Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan, Bhutanese Health Minister Lyonpo Tandin Wangchuk, ambassadors and high commissioners of various countries and the chiefs of different UN agencies made brief comments.
The Prime Minister said her daughter Saima Hossain Putul is the chairperson of National Advisory Committee on Global Autism Public Health (GAPH) Bangladesh. In fact, a resolution piloted by her was placed in the UNGA in 2012 to create global awareness about autism, she said adding that this resolution was adopted by the UNGA in December 2012, which is a rare honor for Bangladesh.
Hasina said, the Constitution of Bangladesh adopted under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman also clearly specifies its stand against any discrimination against any person. In 1974, the Father of the Nation took initiatives to enroll visually-impaired students in the country’s 47 general schools. The Prime Minister congratulated all the autistic people, their family members, and government and non-government organisations engaged in serving the physically-challenged people.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday urged all, including the international community to work together to ensure a better life for those who live with autism and other disabilities.
“On behalf of my government, my people and my party, my promise is that I’ll be always there with you (autistic people),” she said.
Hasina was making the closing statement at a roundtable discussion for the development of a multifaceted Action Plan titled ‘Addressing Autism Through Partnership’ as a side event of the 32nd Meeting of Ministers of Health of Countries of the WHO South-East Asia Region held at city’s Hotel Sonargaon.
The Prime Minister assured that her government would come up with all-out support to those suffering from autism and other disabilities so that they could get a better life. “I believe not only for my own country, the other South Asian countries and the whole world will have to come forward to deal with this problem.”
Noting that the persons with autism developmental disorders are not at all a burden
for society as well as the country, she also expressed her firm resolve that her government would do its best to ensure development of the physically-challenged people with its limited resources.
Dean of Bloomberg School of Public Health of Johns Hopkins University, USA Dr Michael Klag made comments on public health perspective while Founder & Director of Kuwait Center for Autism and Vice President of World Autism Organization Dr Samira Al Saad spoke on parent and organizational perspective at the event held with noted autism expert Saima Hossain in the chair. Regional Director for WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh made the concluding remarks.
Saima Hossain, also a member of WHO Expert Advisory Panel on Mental Health, made a presentation on the ‘Need for global action through collaborative partnerships’
Indian Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan, Bhutanese Health Minister Lyonpo Tandin Wangchuk, ambassadors and high commissioners of various countries and the chiefs of different UN agencies made brief comments.
The Prime Minister said her daughter Saima Hossain Putul is the chairperson of National Advisory Committee on Global Autism Public Health (GAPH) Bangladesh. In fact, a resolution piloted by her was placed in the UNGA in 2012 to create global awareness about autism, she said adding that this resolution was adopted by the UNGA in December 2012, which is a rare honor for Bangladesh.
Hasina said, the Constitution of Bangladesh adopted under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman also clearly specifies its stand against any discrimination against any person. In 1974, the Father of the Nation took initiatives to enroll visually-impaired students in the country’s 47 general schools. The Prime Minister congratulated all the autistic people, their family members, and government and non-government organisations engaged in serving the physically-challenged people.
