UNB, Dhaka :
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s daughter Saima Wazed Hossain has been appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for World Health Organization (WHO) for Autism in South-East Asia region for a two-year period.
As WHO Goodwill Ambassador, Saima will be promoting the Thimphu Declaration which also emphasises integrating the needs of autism-affected people into national health and socioeconomic development plans, said Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director for WHO South-East Asia.
“With Ms Hossain’s efforts and support, WHO aims to put autism high on the health agenda of countries in the region to address this public health challenge,” she added.
In the last one year, championing for the cause of autism for WHO, Saima facilitated the ‘Thimphu Declaration’ on autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders in an international conference in Bhutan in April last.
The declaration calls for a whole-of-society and whole-of-government approach, with a focus on strengthening national capacities in health, education and social care sectors to provide effective services and support to people with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
Earlier, in recognition of Saima Wazed’s work for advancing autism in Bangladesh, WHO South-East Asia Regional Office honoured her with the Excellence in Public Health Award in September 2014.
She was designated as WHO Regional Champion for Autism in May 2016.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s daughter Saima Wazed Hossain has been appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for World Health Organization (WHO) for Autism in South-East Asia region for a two-year period.
As WHO Goodwill Ambassador, Saima will be promoting the Thimphu Declaration which also emphasises integrating the needs of autism-affected people into national health and socioeconomic development plans, said Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director for WHO South-East Asia.
“With Ms Hossain’s efforts and support, WHO aims to put autism high on the health agenda of countries in the region to address this public health challenge,” she added.
In the last one year, championing for the cause of autism for WHO, Saima facilitated the ‘Thimphu Declaration’ on autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders in an international conference in Bhutan in April last.
The declaration calls for a whole-of-society and whole-of-government approach, with a focus on strengthening national capacities in health, education and social care sectors to provide effective services and support to people with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
Earlier, in recognition of Saima Wazed’s work for advancing autism in Bangladesh, WHO South-East Asia Regional Office honoured her with the Excellence in Public Health Award in September 2014.
She was designated as WHO Regional Champion for Autism in May 2016.
