The Federal Government has unveiled a plan to strengthen autism care and support services across Nigeria with the establishment of six regional Autism Centres and an expansion of specialist training programmes in tertiary institutions.
The initiative, announced by Maruf Tunji Alausa, Minister of Education, is aimed at addressing the country’s shortage of professionals in Audiology, Speech and Language Therapy, and Occupational Therapy, while improving access to quality diagnosis, therapy and rehabilitation services for children living with autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and other developmental conditions.
According to a statement signed by Ikharo Attah, Special Adviser (Media and Communications) to the Minister, the Federal Government has already expanded the number of universities offering the specialised programmes from about four to nearly 16 as part of ongoing education reforms. The government plans to extend the programmes to more institutions to meet the growing demand for specialised care.
Speaking during an engagement with stakeholders, Alausa said the initiative reflects President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to building the human capital required to transform autism care in the country.
