Shafaq News/ The Kurdistan Autism Association unveiled new data regarding autism cases in Iraqi Kurdistan.
According to association's findings, there are over 3600 individuals diagnosed with autism across the Kurdistan’s four governorates and autonomous administrations.
The new figure has raised alarm bells, especially when juxtaposed with the Region’s approximate population of 5 million.
Speaking at a press conference held in Erbil to mark World Autism Awareness Day, Kamal Al-Jabari, the head of the association, highlighted the “urgent need for a comprehensive and effective treatment for autism,” emphasizing the ongoing challenges faced by those affected.
The association's statistics delineate a distribution of autism cases as follows:
- Erbil: 1300 cases.
- Duhok: 850 cases.
- Al-Sulaymaniyah and Halabja: 900 cases.
- Garmyan: 315 cases.
- Zakho: 300 cases.
Since 2007, the United Nations has unanimously declared April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day, aiming to promote acceptance and inclusion of individuals with autism in society.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO,) autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is “a diverse group of conditions. They are characterised by some degree of difficulty with social interaction and communication. Other characteristics are atypical patterns of activities and behaviours, such as difficulty with transition from one activity to another, a focus on details and unusual reactions to sensations.”