Tanzania promises better care for autism

Dar es Salaam. The government has outlined its readiness to establish a special unit for addressing autism and brain disorders from the dispensary to hospital levels in order to bring services and understanding closer to communities.

Deputy Minister for Health, Dr Godwin Mollel, has urged the health professionals who participated in the autism conference over the weekend to prepare necessary recommendations that would guide the government in implementing the commitment swiftly.

“The best thing about this conference is that it has brought together many experts, including those from countries that have made progress in the field of autism and brain disorders,” said Dr Mollel.

Since President Samia Suluhu Hassan took office, he noted, the government has allocated a total of Sh6.7 trillion to the ministry of Health, enabling it to implement various health plans without wavering.

Meanwhile, the director of special education from the ministry of Education, Science, and Technology, Dr Magreth Matonya, said the government plans to introduce inclusive education and sign language into the teaching curriculum starting next year.

“We believe teachers will be equipped with the ability to identify and help children with disabilities and autism,” she said. Tanzania has about 22,000 children with the condition, she said. The event was organised jointly by the Victorious Centre of Excellence and Autism Connect.

The director of the Victorious Centre of Excellence and chair of the meeting, Ms Sarah Laiser, said that the conference was successful in providing participants with the opportunity to exchange ideas and medical outcomes, while bringing together parents of children with autism.

"The challenges arising from autism are largely due to a lack of understanding and traditional beliefs associated with the disorder in Africa. Considering these challenges, this conference has given hope to our children. And this is why we emphasize that this conference is not just like any other event, but a catalyst for change, as we have seen the government making various commitments that will have an impact," said Ms Laiser.

Chief operating officer of Autism Connect, Ms Dolly Thakkar, said that through the conference, parents of children with special needs from East Africa had the opportunity to learn about the significant progress made in their countries and internationally regarding the disorder.

"We have had two successful days where keynote speakers from various countries, including Tanzania, Kenya, India, the United States, South Africa, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), had the opportunity to discuss various topics and find common solutions regarding the condition of ASD," she said.