Autism centre’s staff vaccinated against COVID-19

Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter

In line with the Ministry of Health and Prevention’s plan to get frontline health workers vaccinated against the coronavirus, Dubai Autism Center’s employees have taken the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

Mohammed Al Emadi, Director General and Board Member of Dubai Autism Center, said, “This step goes in line with the vision of our wise leadership in ensuring and providing the highest levels of safety for all segments of the UAE society.”

“We are keen at the Dubai Autism Center to unify efforts in the national vaccination campaign in order to provide a safe environment for children enrolled at the Center to ensure the achievement of the desired educational and therapeutic goals,” Al Emadi stated.

Al Emadi thanked all healthcare professionals working on the vaccination campaign and all frontline entities combating COVID-19 in the UAE, noting that the country’s integrated plan to combat COVID-19 has enabled it to effectively respond to the pandemic and minimize its impact on the community.

Founded by a decree of the Ruler of Dubai in 2001, Dubai Autism Center is a non-profit organisation that aims to provide specialised services to take care for children with autism and provide support for their families and their caregivers. The financial resources of the centre consists of subsidies, donations and any charitable endowments for the welfare of the centre.

In 2017, the Dubai Autism Center moved to its new headquarters located on an area of 90,000 square feet, covering a total built-up area of 166,000 square feet in Al Garhoud, thereby increasing its capacity from 54 children to 180 children who are received in facilities that have been fully equipped to suit their needs. It contains 34 classrooms, 22 motor therapy clinics, 18 speech and speech therapy clinics, 3 rooms specialized in sensory therapy, and a number of laboratories, facilities and medical clinics, all designed according to the latest specialised international standards, providing the appropriate educational environment for children with autism.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental disorder that begins early in childhood and lasts throughout a person’s life. ASD can cause significant social, communication, and behavioral challenges. According to recent studies, one in 54 children is affected by ASD.