Special needs centres to be built soon
Al Ain Autism Centre will be completed by the end of 2014
Abu Dhabi: Six new facilities for people with special needs are to be built in the UAE.
They will be built in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Al Qaou, and Ghayathi and provide services of an international standard for people with special needs, in line with the strategy of making the capital among the world’s top five nations for people with special needs.
The total cost of the construction projects, which aim to offer education, social and medical services to special needs people, is estimated at Dh378,200,000, the Zayed Higher Organisation for Humanitarian Care and Special Needs (ZHO) announced at a meeting held on Monday in the capital.
“We have 700 cases of autistic children across the UAE, in which 332 are nationals and 268 others,” said Salem Al Darmaki, undersecretary at the Ministry of Health earlier.
ZHO has worked hard to establish new centres providing services for autistic children, as it is the fastest growing serious developmental disability in the world, with approximately 67 million people affected by it.
“The new autism centre in Al Ain will be established at a cost of Dh92,300,000 by the end of 2014 and it will offer several education facilities for over 150 students. The centre will serve and support students who cannot attend regular schools due to their disabilities,” he added.
According to ZHO, about 530 students have been integrated into public schools during the past three years to spread awareness about the challenges faced by people with special needs and how society can contribute in integrating them.
Additionally, a new initiative called Ehtedan — which means ‘Embracing’ will be launched soon.
“The new initiative aims to organise a series of workshops and sessions for parents, who have disabled children. Embracing will teach them how to deal with their diagnosed children and face their daily problems.
“Also a new indicative dictionary for deaf people is in progress to include their culture, behaviour, values and traditions for a better understanding of their community,” Mohammad Fadil Al Hameli, deputy chairman and secretary-general of ZHO, said.
