University Grant Commission (UGC) has approved “Establishment of Institute of Paediatric Neurodisorder and Autism (IPNA)” as full-fledged, first ever and only institute in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Bangladesh.
IPNA received prior approval from academic council of BSMMU on 21 October 2017 and from syndicate on 14 November 2017.
With the tireless effort of Saima Wazed Hossain – the daughter of Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh and support from the government, IPNA started its journey in 2014 as a project under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare at BSMMU premises. Before that, it was working since 2010 in the name of Centre for Neurodevelopment and Autism in Children (CNAC) led by Prof. Dr. Shaheen Akhter, a noted pediatric neurologist in Bangladesh.
IPNA is performing the role as a pioneer institution operating on a national level that provides comprehensive services for autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities. IPNA ensures a ‘safe environment for children with autism’ where they can learn to develop to their full potentials. Additionally, this institute helps in disseminating disability/autism related knowledge and other essentials skills for doctors, teachers, and parents.
It is mentionable that IPNA won National Award from our honorable prime minister for outstanding performance on awareness building and tertiary level services on autism in commemoration of World Autism Awareness Day 2017.
