A National Autism Plan will be launched at the end of this year. 
This was announced at a workshop on autism, hosted by the Ministry of Public Health recently. It was attended by Minister of Public Health HE Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari, as well as professionals and parents. 
Dr al-Kuwari said: “The impact on families caring for children with autism is significant and we are committed to finding ways to improve the lives of these children and their families.” 
She assured her support for developing the National Autism Plan to address concerns about the rising rates of diagnoses and to develop tailored services, support and education to meet local needs.
During the event, experts from the World Health Organisation (WHO) spoke about the need to improve care and services for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families. 
In Qatar, as in other countries, more and more individuals are being recognised as having ASD, which affects the way they relate to people, situations and their immediate environment. 
Dr Mohamed Waqar Azeem, chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Sidra Medical and Research Centre and chair of the National Autism Working Group said “since last year, family members of children with autism and relevant organisations have been working together in the Autism Working Group to develop the National Plan, including awareness, early diagnosis, quality of interventions, education and social participation. It is an opportunity for Qatar to validate and complete our plan with the help of international experts of the WHO.” 
WHO experts Dr Maria-Luisa Scattoni, researcher at the Institute of Health in Rome, and Prof Helen McConachie, clinical psychologist at the Institute of Health and Society at Newcastle University UK, highlighted the opportunities to improve services available in Qatar. 
“International rates say that about 1 in 68 children has been identified with ASD and in Qatar, our consultations showed the need for more services and support. Qatar has the potential to make a difference by aligning existing services and improving the accessibility of education and support for these children and their families,” the experts said. 
The chair of Qatar Autism Families Association Fatima al-Sulaiti explained the urgency of the plan: “Every day we meet new parents who are struggling. Even though autism is a lifelong condition, the right support at the right time can make an enormous difference to our children’s life. We are greatly looking forward to continuing to collaborate to see the plan being implemented and hope that in the future our children will have the same opportunities as everyone else.”