DHAKA: A Workshop on Global Action Plan for Autism and Neuro Developmental Disorders held in the city on Wednesday afternoon.

Saima Hossain, Member of Expert Advisory Panel on Mental Health, WHO and Chair of the National Advisory Committee on Autism in Bangladesh chaired the program.

Saima said, “The proposed Global Autism initiative would be dedicated toward building collaborative partnerships around the globe to address autism and other Neuro Developmental Disorders for hard-to-reach marginalized segments of the society,” said a press release issued by the External Publicity Wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 Dr Gowher Rizvi, Advisor for International Affairs to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh co-chaired the program while Speaker of the National Parliament Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury was present as a Special Guest.

Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury underlined the need of mobilizing global Parliamentarians including Members of Bangladesh Parliament to create awareness about addressing Autism and Neuro Developmental Disorders at grass roots levels and training of care givers and parents.

Dr Margaret Chan, Director General of WHO, now attending 67th WHO SEARO Governing Body Meeting in Dhaka also attended the Workshop as Special Guest.

Dr Chan praised the dynamic leadership of Saima Hossain for mobilizing global networks of governments, institutions and civil societies for addressing the challenges of autism collectively.

The workshop was widely attended by more than 30 diplomatic Missions in Dhaka including India, China, Australia, Canada, Turkey, United Kingdom, USA, Spain, European Union, Qatar and representatives of International Organizations and Development Agencies including ADB, UNDP, JICA, KOICA, USAID, CIDA, UNICEF, ICDDRB and ICRC.

Eminent International experts on Autism and Neuro Developmental Disorders from around the world including USA, Kuwait, Switzerland, India, Peru visited Dhaka to attend the Workshop and a side event Roundtable on a Global Action Plan for Autism to be held on 11 September 2014 in the sidelines of WHO SEARO Ministerial Meeting being held in Dhaka.

Michael Klag, Dean, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Dr. Samira Al Saad Founder and Director of the Kuwait Centre for Autism, Merry Barua, Founder and Director of Action for Autism in India and other Foreign Guests were present at the workshop.

The participants shared experiences on Autism, best practices in networking in disability and ways to create consensus on the proposed for taking global initiative for Autism and the action plan.

BDST: 2015 HRS, SEP 10, 2014