TETFund Launches Committee for National Autism Centres

TETFund Executive Secretary Sonny Echono inaugurated a committee in Abuja to develop recommendations for establishing National Autism Centres in selected university medical schools. The initiative aims to enhance autism services, providing early diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and professional training while promoting public awareness.

Echono emphasized that the centres would improve access to specialized autism services across Nigeria's six geopolitical zones and reduce the burden on families seeking care. The centres are proposed for support under the 2027 TETFund Special Intervention, contingent on the committee's findings and resource availability.

Professor Ebunoluwa Adejuyigbe, the committee's chairperson and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Medical Sciences, highlighted the importance of addressing delayed diagnoses and limited access to services faced by families. She identified five key areas for the committee's focus: clinical services, research, training, community engagement, and sustainability.

Adejuyigbe stressed the need for locally relevant research to improve understanding of autism in Nigeria and Africa.