Smarter Way To Tackle Autism
By Amin Hosni

Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei celebrated World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) yesterday, which was launched at RIPAS Hospital.

Minister of Health , Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman, launched the WAAD.

Also present were Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Paduka Haji Hazair bin HajiAbdullah, Deputy Minister of Health, high commissioners, ambassadors, senior government officers and guests.

Pehin Dato Awg Hj Suyoi in his speech said autism is a crisis and needs increased awareness. In developing countries such as the USA, there is one in 150 children that has autism.

There is a child born with autism every 20 minutes worldwide.

"The Ministry of Health through the Child Development Centre and Smarter will cooperate in creating awareness among the public and will take steps to ensure that children with autism can be diagnosed as early as possible so that intervention and treatment can be started early."

According to the minister, efforts that have been made by the Ministry of Health include establishing Child Development Screening Clinics in the country to detect early stages of autism in children. Children with autism, as well as their parents and guardians will be given professional services by the Child Development Centre including paediatricians, clinical psychologists, speech therapists, work therapists, nurses and medical welfare officers according to the need of children with autism.

Malai Hj Abdullah bin Malai Hj Othman, President of Smarter Brunei said, "It is only benefiting that we join the whole world in celebrating this auspicious World Autism Awareness Day to raise the awareness of autism as a global health crisis. Smarter Brunei, Child Development Centre, Ministry of Health and Special Education Unit of the Ministry of Education are collaborating and cooperating to make Brunei an autism friendly nation.

"Our collaboration and cooperation is in the form of supporting and complementing each other and we hope the awareness programme we are planning will be successful in increasing and developing knowledge of the autism epidemic and impart information regarding the importance of early diagnosis and intervention," said Malai Hj Abdullah.

He also added that Smarter Brunei will also be opening up a new centre called BACA, Brunei Autism Centre for Adults, which will cater to adults with autism. They will have the opportunity to gain employment, enhance and fine-tune their independent living skills.

So far 400 plus individuals are diagnosed with autism in Brunei. In 2006, fifty children were diagnosed with autism and in 2007 fifty more were diagnosed until June. This means that Brunei has an autism rate of 1:150 births, which is similar to USA. According to statistics from North America, Europe and Japan, there are some 35 million people with autism.

Smarter Brunei plans to hold the WAAD road show for the whole month of April. The next WAAD road show will be held at The Mall Gadong on April 6, Kuala Belait Soon Lee Mall on April 13 and at the Tutong Petani Mall on April 20.

The Awareness programme will end with the Smarter Annual Challenge on April 27 where Malai Hj Abdullah will lead the participants in climbing seven hills around Bandar Seri Begawan starting in Tasek, Markuching, Subok, Pancaran Subok, Mentiri, Berakas and ending in Bukit Shahbandar.

The theme of the World Autism Awareness Day is `Don't `Dis' the Ability'. On December 18, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 62/ 139 tabled by the State of Qatar, which declared April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) in perpetuity. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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