GTBank tasks FG on Autism disorder

…Engages health workers in capacity building programme

In view of the prevailing lack of societal awareness about Autism disorders in Nigeria and non existence of training facilities for affected children, Guaranty Trust Bank has tasked government at all levels to show greater commitment in creating awareness on Autism by creating inclusive schools for affected children and integration centres for adults as well as come up with a legislation which will protect the rights and provide support for people with developmental disabilities.

Making this known at the Autism Spectrum Disorders Seminar organised by the bank in Lagos recently, Titi Osuntoki, executive director, GTBank, said Autism, which is a pervasive developmental disorder characterised by the presence of impaired social interaction and communication, is one of the numerous disorders which is often wrongly diagnosed due to lack of awareness on the disease even among health professionals.

Osuntoki stated that due to recent statistics which suggest that over 1.2million people in Nigeria live with Autism, the bank being an advocate for children living with developmental disabilities, has been partnering like-minded organisations to create awareness for developmental disabilities through sponsored campaigns, training workshops, information  and advocacy competitions to ginger national consciousness on the scourge of Autism as well as reawaken people’s social consciousness about the plight and requirements of children with developmental disabilities.

According to Osuntoki, “The Orange Ribbon Initiative…  Giving Hope, Making a Difference, which is an initiative of GTBank introduced in 2010, is aimed at supporting children with developmental disabilities and promote awareness about the disorders within Nigeria. The Orange Ribbon Initiative is an orange ribbon with a slight indentation at the bow of the ribbon forming a symbol of ‘love’. This represents our desire to show care, love and support for those living with developmental disabilities.

The executive director added that “Autism Spectrum Disorders, which arises from insufficient development of a child’s physical, emotional or intellectual capacity, is largely misunderstood by society making it difficult for affected children to cope with the everyday demands of their environment and may lead to varying stages of social stigmatisation. That is the very much reason why these children with this special needs need guidance, love and care to manage their situation.”

Lending his view, Bode Ogunbanjo, director, Clinical Services, Lagos State Ministry of Health, who represented the Commissioner for Health, Lagos State , revealed that autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects the way a person communicates and relates with people around them. While noting that autism is a disability that usually appears in the first three years of life, Ogunbanjo called for urgency in the training of psychologists, special educators, occupational, play and speech therapists and other relevant professionals in order to provide services that will meet the special needs of children with autism.

In his words: “Most children in Nigeria suffer chronic autism due to late detection of the disease. A child, who is diagnosed with autism and is properly managed by a professional at age two, has better chances of improving than a child diagnosed at five.  Though the cause of autism is not yet known, the disease cannot be cured but managed.”

It is noteworthy that with no statistics of people suffering from autism in Nigeria, there is the need for government to create a national strategy and policy which would encourage parents to seek an appropriate intervention in view of the stigmatisation which people with the disorder pass through.

For Anna Lamikanra, executive director, Blazing Trails International Centre, who dismissed the notion that autistic children are imbeciles, however, advised the public to shun discrimination and stigmatisation of autistic children. Lamikanra said autism is not specific to any class, gender, race, religion or ethnic group. In his summation, Marcus Tillery, dean, School of Applied Science Thomas Edison State College, Trenton, said for years, different mode of technology had been used to improve quality of the life of people with developmental challenges.