A SR 45-million Autism Research Center (ARC) was inaugurated in Riyadh on Tuesday at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSHRC). The donor, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), said the donation aims to support ARCs research on autism in terms of educational and medical aspects. It will also create training programs to raise the level of services provided for autistic patients in the Kingdom.
The launch was attended by SABIC Chairman Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Thunayan Al-Saud, who said that Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah is keen on providing quality care to people with autism.
Autism is a complex disorder of brain development characterized in varying degrees by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication and repetitive behavior, generally targeting children in their young age.
He said: This center will be an important added value to strengthen the existing efforts in the field of research of autism in Saudi Arabia, the Gulf region and the Middle East.
He added that the King Faisal Specialist Hospital is one of the most vital service-providers specializing in this category of patients.
He expressed confidence in the capabilities of the center's team, adding that its medical care and research is comparable to that of global research centers.
He said that SABIC is keen to meet its social responsibilities, support research and knowledge-sharing and build partnerships with leading scientific bodies in the world specializing in the research and treatment of autism.
The launch of the center represents a quantum leap in the context of finding effective tools for autism research in Saudi Arabia, said Dr. Qasim Al-Qusabi, executive supervisor for the general organization at KFSHRC. He said KFSHRC has about 25 years of outstanding experience in diagnosing autism cases locally.
He added that the first case of autism was diagnosed in the Kingdom through the hospital.
Dr. Rami Niazi, head of the center, said that diagnosis of autism is a complicated procedure that requires an integrated team made up of relatives of the patient and the physician, in addition to specialists in psychiatry, speech and special education.
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SABIC donates SR 45 m for autism research