By Hannah Marion Namukasa
Rights activists for children with autism have expressed concern over the government failure to recognize autism as an independent disability.
Autism is a serious developmental disorder that impairs the ability to communicate and interact.
The activists who were led by Ms. Dorothy Nambi a trainer of autism children, cited the lack of funding for educational and specialized services for children in the main stream services, which has significantly impacted their academic life style.
Nambi who is also the founder of Dorna Center for Children with Autism noted that, government’s exclusion from the services had placed the financial burden of autism entirely on parents and non-state actors.
She decried the Covid 19 pandemic whose effects have significantly impacted the children training and skilling.
It is against that background that she called for the consideration of autism in government planning to support the persons living with it.
The senior psychologist Winfred Withaka who came from the neighboring Kenya,said during the meeting of autism trainers in Kampala that that acceptance of the affected children by some parents was still a challenge hindering its awareness.
Withak expressed the need for parents to be made learn to live without frustrations arising from their children experiences.
An autism health expert Dr. Anita Arinda who was one of the training facilitator, explained that autism was caused by genetic factors.
Statistics by World Health Organization (WHO) show that 1 person out of 160 has autism.
