The United Nations General Assembly has announced April 2 each year as a dedicated day for awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Qatar’s healthcare sector which includes the Ministry of Public Health, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), and Primary Health Care Corporations (PHCC) have together participated in the activities for this day, under the theme ‘inclusive quality education for all.'

World Autism Awareness Day is marked with the intention of highlighting the disorder and improving the lives of those individuals who fall on this spectrum. By marking this day in Qatar, the health sector aims to shed more light on Qatar’s achievements in the field of ASD patients.

MoPH posted a series of slides on Instagram that offered information on what autism is, its treatments, and the way to understand those patients that fall on the autism spectrum.

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A post shared by وزارة الصحة العامة (@mophqatar)

The Ministry and HMC also released videos on their Twitter which featured interviews with those families who had children on the autism spectrum and how they all dealt with the diagnosis and rehabilitation of the patients.

أهالي بعض الأطفال ذوي التوحد يروون رحلتهم مع أبنائهم من الاكتشاف للتأهيل

#التوحد #اليوم_العالمي_للتوعية_بمرض_التوحد pic.twitter.com/ISjpxSoQgP

— مؤسسة حمد الطبية (@HMC_Qatar) April 3, 2022

The PHCCs socials also shared a series of posts on how ASD screening is offered at all of their well-baby service package. These screenings are available at all well-baby clinic visits while the child is between 18­-30 months of age. The posts further spoke of encouraging a shift in perspectives so there was more acceptance of autistic disorder and such individuals were also included in education rights tailored specifically for their needs.

The health sector’s institutions also chose to show their international solidarity for ASD individuals by lighting up their buildings in blue, including the MoPH building, Enaya building of HMC, PHCC’s main buildings as well as other health centers.

Dr. Khaled Abdul-Hadi, who is the National Health Strategy 2018-2022 lead for people with special needs, quoted that optimal efforts are being made by the entities in the healthcare sector for people with special needs.

This includes ASD individuals too and the overall comprehensive national plan focuses on inclusivity through national treatment instructions, awareness campaigns, recruitment of qualified staff, and provision of more specialized rehabilitation services.

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