Putul leads Bangladesh team to South Korea for autism disorder training

US-licensed school psychologist Saima Wazed Hossain is leading a Bangladesh team to South Korea on an exclusive training programme on diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder.

The daughter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, better known by her nickname Putul, spearheads the autism campaign in Bangladesh as Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on Autism and Neurodevelopment Disorders.

The Korean development agency KOICA said on Monday a 15-member team had left for South Korea to join the 14-day long training programme at the Korea Human Resource Development Institute for Health and Welfare (KOHI).

Titled ‘Competency Enhancement of Diagnosis and Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) for Child in Korea’, the training is particularly designed for Bangladesh.

The participants comprise physicians, special education teachers and therapists of developmental disorder from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Autism Welfare Foundation, Society for the Welfare of Autistic Children, Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed, Jatiyo Protibondhi Unnayan and Shuchona Foundation.

Autism is known to be a complex disorder of brain development in which a person lacks social skills, and verbal and non-verbal communication.

The rate of autism in Bangladesh has been recorded to be relatively high and it is having an impact on children, their families, and communities.

The government has taken several initiatives to focus on the treatment of autism. However, the quality compared with the developed nations remains comparatively low, according to the Shuchona Foundation, led by Putul.

KOICA has developed the country-focused multi-year training programme for the second time, aiming to provide specialised service in the field of autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and treatment through sustainable training.

KOICA first offered this training from year 2012 to 2014 in which altogether comprised 42 participants. The training devised a comprehensive action plan. Additionally, a Bengali manual on ‘Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders’ was developed.

Understanding updated policies on the treatment and education of the disorder in Korean children is one of the key objectives of the training.

On the departure of the team, KOICA Bangladesh Country Director Joe Hyun-Gue hoped this training would contribute to improving the capabilities of professionals in diagnosis and treatment of autism.

“All the participants will be better equipped to employ the lessons learnt to advance improved diagnosis and treatment of ASD under the leadership of Saima in Bangladesh,” the country director said.