Gov’t asked to make funds available for research on Autism

Dr Ebenezer Badoe, the Director of Neurology and Development Clinic, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, has called on the government to make funds available to conduct intensive investigations into the causes of Autism among children in the country.

That, he said, would help come up with the prevalence rate in the country and demystify the disease, adding that Ghana did not have any statistics on Autism.

Dr Badoe said this at the opening of a three-day first ever “Cape Coast Autism Training Workshop: Awareness and Applied Behavioural Analysis” held at the University of Cape Coast School of Medical Science (UCCSMS) in Cape Coast.

The training workshop jointly organized by UCCSMS and Child and Home Partnership (CHIP) International , based in the New York, an international organization focusing on Autism in Africa.

It was attended by lecturers, students, parents, teachers’ from schools with special needs and representative from department of social welfare and other stakeholders drawn from over the country.

It is to promote awareness of autism and development delay, provide training to parents and professionals and also to form a network for parents with children with autism and other stakeholders.

Dr Badoe explained that autism was a development disability affecting social interaction and communication and that there was an increased awareness of the situation among parents and the general public despite the fact that the prevalence rate in the country was not known.