In Romania, a law must be developed and adopted to regulate the state of people suffering from autism, is one of the conclusions of the debate that took place today, in Iași, on the occasion of the International Day for Autism Awareness.
The executive president of the Star of Hope Romania Association, Aurora Vatamaniuc, stated that the law is necessary because, at the moment, the state does not finance therapy sessions for people suffering from autism, nor day centers for children with this syndrome:
Aurora Vatamaniuc: Barely, the state tries to support, with a part, let’s say, very small, only punctually, these needs and that is why we believe that there is a need, at the national level, to have a law that is respected and an approach that it doesn’t take so much energy and us, and the parents, so much burden on their shoulders, because these therapy sessions also put the burden of opening day care centers on the parents’ shoulders.
According to national estimates, one in 8 people develops a disorder on the autism spectrum, the total number being estimated at 40 thousand.
The president of ANCAAR, an NGO in the field, Carmen Ghercă, said that 80% funding is requested for the treatment that can be applied to people with autism:
Carmen Gherca: This disorder is a disorder that cannot be cured, we cannot find a miracle recipe or a unique medicine to prescribe for people with autism. The most important thing is therapy, which should be started as early as possible and should be sustained. Because of this, the costs of a therapy are very, very high and many of the parents cannot afford to pay these costs. This is where the state must intervene, which, although it has taken steps in this direction, in the settlement of therapies, they are still very small.
The Director of the Iasi Social Assistance Directorate, Luminița Munteanu, added that today’s event wanted to present the existing good European practices in the field and the possibilities of adapting them to Romanian realities.
(Radio Iasi/Constantin Mihai/FOTO radioiasi.ro)
Tags: AUDIO Debate occasion International Autism Awareness Day Iasi
 Debate on the occasion of International Autism Awareness Day, in Iasi){kind=link}