Guaranty Trust Bank plc has announced the commencement of the 6th edition of its Annual Autism Conference. The two-day programme will hold on the 20th and 21st of June at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos.
According to the bank, the themed of the programme: “Managing Autism: The Next Generation, Consideration and Resources”, will feature specialists from Nigeria and the United States of America that will offer consulting services.
The services will include the assessment of children for Autism and other developmental challenges to the counseling of their parents, Speech Therapy, Physical Therapy , Behaviour Analysis, Audiology, Clinical Psychology, Developmental Psychiatry, Physiotherapy, and Occupational Therapy.
A statement from the bank indicated that amongst the partners for the two-day programme are the First Lady of Lagos State, Mrs. Bolanle Patience Ambode, First Lady of Ogun State, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, the state Ministries of Health and Education, Science and Technology, Blazing Trails International, Texas, USA, College of Medicine, Idi-Araba, Lagos, Patrick’s Speech and Language Centre and the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro Ogun State.
The annual Autism Awareness Conference commenced in 2009 as part of the GTBank Orange Ribbon Initiative, an advocacy program which has been at the forefront of creating awareness for ASD to ensure autism is diagnosed early in children, encouraging investment in autism research and management as well as campaigning not only against the stigmatization of children living with autism but also that they receive the required support from parents, teachers, friends and the society.
The 5th edition of the Autism Conference had over 1,500 participants, more than triple the number which attended the inaugural conference. Even more participants are expected at this year’s conference which starts by 9am and closes by 5pm daily.
Commenting on the 6th Annual Autism Awareness Conference, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Bank plc, Mr. Segun Agbaje, said: “this year, we hope to go beyond awareness and make our greatest impact yet amplifying the national awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder and increasing the expert assistance available to people living with Autism.
“Our belief that children, irrespective of developmental disorders, can reach the fullness of their potential continues to inspire us to provide support for parents, teachers and care givers of children living with Autism Spectrum Disorder through our annual Autism program.” [myad]
