The health centres at Rawdat Al Khail, Al Wakrah, Umm Salal, Al Da’ayn, Thammah, Al Waab, Muaither, Qatar University and Al Wajba will be modified to cater people with autism.
DOHA: In a new initiative to create a friendly environment for autistic people in the country, Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) is set to modify ten of its health centres and open new clinics by end of the year.
Also a Global Family Support Program will be implemented soon to train families on ways to deal with their autistic children, Dr Sadriya Mohammed Al Kohji, Head of Service Development, Service Development and Maternal Child Health Department at the PHCC, told The Peninsula.
“The PHCC recently announced a tender for modifications to the new health centres, based on internationally accepted standards. Modifications will be made at ten health centres. Also seven to nine autism spectrum clinics will be set up, and modifications will be made to health centres under construction. Changes will include provision of autism-friendly Healthy Child Clinics, dental clinics, specialist clinics and rest rooms,” Dr Al Kohji said.
“We expect that by the end of this year all health centres will be ready to receive autistic people. Modifications will include choosing friendly colours and the abandonment of amplifiers, as recommended by professionals in occupational health. People on the autistic spectrum or their family members will also have the right to use special-needs parking and will have priority in getting counseling and treatment,” she added.
The health centres at Rawdat Al Khail, Al Wakrah, Umm Salal, Al Da’ayn, Thammah, Al Waab, Muaither, Qatar University and Al Wajba will be modified to cater people with autism.
Autism, refers to a range of conditions characterised by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviours, speech and nonverbal communication, as well as by unique strengths and differences.
World Autism Awareness Day is being marked today under the theme ‘Empowering Women and Girls with Autism.’ It encourages Member States of the United Nations (UN) to take measures to raise acceptance about people with autism throughout the world. It was adopted by the UN following a proposal by H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser.
“We have begun to focus on providing educational materials and an early detection program for this condition since 2012, through the examination of the child at 18 months and 30 months among the services provided at ‘Healthy Child’ clinics at health centres. We participated in the National Acute Autism Strategy of 2015, and are still partners in this plan,” said Dr Al Kohji.
Dr Sadriya Mohammed Al Kohji, Head of Service Development, Service Development and Maternal Child Health Department at the PHCC, said: “Our role embraces the awareness and training of medical staff in how to diagnose and deal with this condition in children receiving various treatment services in health centers, as well as educating the community, providing friendly environments for children on the autism spectrum, and establishing a support program for them and their families.”
Also a Global Family Support Program will be implemented by the PHCC soon. Six Qatari doctors have been trained in Britain on the Erie Bird program of the National Autism Society to provide services and support for families with autistic children.
“The program for parents includes a three month training package of weekly lectures. As an initial step, six families will be trained in one package, with follow-up video training with their children at home to evaluate the training and develop it. This program will start with English-speaking families, until it has been translated into Arabic,” said Dr Al Kohji.
Although there is no national database to monitor the number of people in Qatar on the autism spectrum, there are at least 3,000 cases registered.
“We are currently developing a database to keep track accurately of the number of people on the autism spectrum. Knowing the real numbers contributes to the provision of appropriate and high-priority services,” said Dr Al Kohji.
