Create more awareness on Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism has a broad spectrum, which is why people with it behave differently.
What you need to know:
- ...awareness is mostly done by private organisations or individuals and they can only do so much. The government should also therefore create more awareness so that people faced with these illnesses are not doomed to a life of rejection and pain
In 2014, the census carried out put the national Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) prevalence rate at 70 out of 10,000 persons in a population of 34 million, in Uganda. The autismuganda.org website, basing on the past census and looking at the national population estimates of about 44 million, estimates that the current prevalence rate is 88 out of 10,000, an increase of 0.1 percent. That figure might seem small but for the many families whose children suffer from the disorder, it isn’t.
There has been growth of health facilities in the country, in both the rural and urban areas, and in both the public and private sector. Most of these facilities tend to focus on the more common ailments and health conditions, presumably because more people suffer from them, there is more expertise to deal with them, and the population generally consider the conditions as treatable in a health facility. However, when it comes to disorders that are neurological or mental in nature, such as ASD, clinical depression, bipolar disorder and other such kinds of illnesses, our country seems ill-equipped both in facilities and in expertise.
An article in our Monday edition, titled High Court orders govt on early detection of autism, showed that a family failed to have their son’s ASD condition detected after several years of seeking a clear diagnosis, including in places like Buyende Hospital and Kamuli-Rubaga Hospital. This family sued the Buyende District Local Government and the Attorney General for failing to provide access to early detection services for autism.
There are many other homes however who will not get access to lawyers or even to court to have their rights determined and provided for. In fact, many do not know these are illnesses. Neurological and mental illnesses tend to be looked at as problems brought onto families or communities due to witchcraft and yet they can be managed better once a diagnosis is made.
The ministry of health, even as it works to contain the better-known ailments amongst the population should have a strategy on how to deal with such disorders that are growing in number and in severity. At the very least, detection and basic care as well as helpful information should be provided for the patient and the family at a regional level.
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It must be said that there is increasing awareness of these conditions and more people now know that they can seek help and treatment for them. But the awareness is mostly done by private organisations or individuals and they can only do so much. The government should also therefore create more awareness so that people faced with these illnesses are not doomed to a life of rejection and pain.
