Speaking at a program organized by Autism Care Nepal Society at Basantapur to mark the World Autism Awareness Day on Thursday, Dr Sunita Maleku Amatya, president of the organization, said many people are still unfamiliar with Autism."So, it is high time that the concerned authorities start raising awareness about the disorder," said she.
Since 2008, World Autism Awareness Day is being marked in many countries on April 2 with the aim of raising awareness about the disorder. Amatya also said even health workers in our country are not familiar with the disorder.
According to a data of Autism Speaks, an international organization working on autism, one in every 68 children is identified with ASD in the United States. However, there is no reliable estimate for Nepal as autism is not known to many people. Experts have estimated that there are about 2,50,000-3,00,000 persons with autism in Nepal.
During the program, autistic children had performed in a musical program. "It was done to show to the concerned authorities that autistic children also have talent and can do what normal people can but all you need to do is provide them opporturnities," said Amatya.
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