Mohali to have world-class autism centre

Tribune News Service

Advertisement

Mohali, November 28 

Mohali will soon have a world-class Advanced Autism and Research Centre, the first of its kind in the country, at Sector 79. 

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal laid its foundation stone on Saturday and the centre’s premises would be readied within a year. 

Giving details, Vini Mahajan, Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, said it was  the first of its kind endeavour by any state government to provide this full-fledged centre to deal with autism among children. 

“This centre will have special school, diagnostic centre, clinic and residential complex. Under the plan, special therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists and trainers will be roped in for treatment of patients”, said Mahajan. 

She added that the school would have special educators and therapists, who would prepare special education plan and curriculum according to the ability of each student/patient. 

There will be special workshops, skill development programmes and vocational rehabilitation plan for the patients, she added. The Chief Minister also directed the health authorities to tie up with the world-class autism centre for providing the best treatment facilities to the patients here at the upcoming centre. The centre will come up at a cost of Rs 16 crore.

Dr Gurpreet Singh, a member from the Chief Minister’s medical team, said parents of these differently abled children should motivate them to excel in their fields of interests like music, dance, painting and sports to name a few.