TETFund inaugurates committee to establish autism centres in 6 geopolitical zones

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has inaugurated a national committee to develop a framework for establishing international-standard autism centres across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, as part of efforts to expand access to specialised care, strengthen research and improve support for individuals on the autism spectrum and their families.

The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arch. Sonny Echono, inaugurated the committee in Abuja on Thursday, charging its members to develop practical, evidence-based and sustainable recommendations to guide the establishment of the proposed centres in selected university medical schools.

Echono said the initiative was designed to address gaps in specialised autism services while strengthening Nigeria’s capacity for early diagnosis, intervention, rehabilitation, research and professional training in neurodevelopmental conditions.

He explained that the proposed centres would provide comprehensive services, including developmental assessments, clinical interventions, rehabilitation, research and capacity building for healthcare professionals, while promoting public awareness and supporting families and caregivers.

According to him, locating the centres across the six geopolitical zones would improve access to specialised services and reduce the burden on families who often travel long distances in search of appropriate diagnosis, treatment and professional guidance.

The TETFund chief said the initiative would build on the gains of the Fund’s Special High Impact Intervention for medical schools, which is supporting the upgrading of infrastructure and equipment for training professionals in medicine, pharmacy, nursing, dentistry and related disciplines.

He noted that strengthening medical education infrastructure would provide an important foundation for developing specialised centres capable of combining clinical services with research, teaching and professional development.

Echono disclosed that the proposed autism centres were being considered for support under the Fund’s proposed 2027 Special Intervention, subject to the committee’s findings, identification of eligible institutions, availability of resources and the necessary approvals.

He, however, stressed that the success of the initiative would depend on the quality of the committee’s recommendations, urging members to ensure that their proposals were supported by comprehensive needs assessments, realistic cost estimates, appropriate technical specifications, measurable deliverables and credible sustainability plans.

The executive secretary also emphasised the importance of transparent and evidence-based criteria in selecting host institutions, identifying geographical spread, existing medical and academic infrastructure, human resource capacity, institutional commitment and the ability to sustain the facilities as key considerations.

He urged the committee to expedite its assignment, particularly the identification of suitable universities and the assessment of their infrastructure, staffing and equipment requirements, to enable the necessary provisions to be considered in the 2027 intervention budget.

Responding, the Chairperson of the committee and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, Professor Ebunoluwa Aderonke Adejuyigbe, described the assignment as a significant step towards establishing a coordinated, accessible and sustainable system of autism care, research and community support in Nigeria.

Adejuyigbe, a paediatrician with decades of experience in child health, observed that many Nigerian families raising children with autism continued to face considerable challenges, including delayed diagnosis, financial constraints, limited access to specialised services and inadequate professional support.

She also identified denial and limited public understanding of autism as factors that could delay families from seeking appropriate assessments and interventions for affected children.

According to her, the proposed centres must be designed to provide more than clinical services, serving as platforms for generating locally relevant research, strengthening professional capacity and promoting a better understanding of autism and related neurodevelopmental conditions within the Nigerian and African contexts.

The chairperson outlined five key pillars that would guide the committee’s work: clinical services and early intervention; research and innovation; training and capacity building; community engagement and inclusion; and sustainability and quality assurance.

She explained that early identification and appropriate interventions were essential components of autism support, making it necessary for the centres to establish effective systems for developmental assessment, referrals and access to relevant professional services.

Adejuyigbe further stressed the importance of research into autism prevalence in Nigeria and the factors that may influence neurodevelopment, noting that locally generated evidence could help policymakers, healthcare practitioners and researchers develop interventions suited to the country’s population and healthcare needs.

She said stronger research capacity would also enable Nigerian institutions to contribute more meaningfully to international scientific knowledge on autism and related developmental conditions.

On professional training, the committee chairperson called for the development of a competent multidisciplinary workforce comprising paediatricians, psychiatrists, psychologists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, special educators and other relevant professionals.

She said collaboration among these specialists would be important in ensuring that individuals on the autism spectrum received appropriate and coordinated support, taking into account their varying developmental, communication, behavioural, educational and other support needs.

Adejuyigbe also highlighted the need to extend autism awareness and support beyond university hospitals by building partnerships with primary healthcare facilities, schools, teachers, community health workers, religious and traditional leaders, parents’ associations, autistic individuals and their families.

She explained that such partnerships would help promote early identification, appropriate referrals, caregiver empowerment and greater inclusion, while addressing the stigma and misconceptions that often surround autism.

According to her, the proposed centres should become part of a broader system of support that connects specialised healthcare institutions with communities, educational facilities and families.

She warned against establishing facilities without clear plans for their long-term operation, insisting that sustainability, governance, financing, equipment maintenance, monitoring and evaluation must be incorporated into the committee’s recommendations from the outset.

“Our success must not be measured merely by the number of centres established, but by the number of individuals and families whose lives are positively transformed, the communities reached, and the knowledge generated to improve autism care in Nigeria and across Africa,” she said.

The committee is expected to recommend suitable host universities and medical schools, establish minimum standards for the design and operation of the centres, develop implementation schedules and cost estimates, and propose a monitoring and evaluation framework to guide the relevant authorities.

Its recommendations are also expected to address staffing requirements, specialised equipment, institutional responsibilities, service delivery standards and strategies for ensuring that the facilities remain functional beyond their initial establishment.

The proposed initiative comes amid growing calls for stronger support systems for individuals on the autism spectrum, including improved access to assessment, professional interventions, educational support and assistance for caregivers.

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, is a neurodevelopmental condition associated with differences in social communication and interaction, alongside restricted or repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests or activities. Support needs vary considerably from one individual to another, making access to appropriate assessment and personalised support important.

For many families, navigating the process of obtaining a diagnosis and finding suitable services can be difficult where specialised professionals and facilities are limited. Expanding the availability of services within Nigeria could help reduce the financial and logistical pressures associated with seeking care far from home.

The proposed centres could also strengthen the relationship between clinical practice and academic research by enabling university medical schools to train professionals, study local needs and develop evidence-informed approaches to intervention and support.

However, the extent to which the initiative achieves its objectives will depend on the implementation framework, the availability of qualified personnel, sustainable funding and effective coordination between participating institutions and relevant stakeholders.

The emphasis on community engagement and inclusion is also expected to be important in ensuring that the centres do not operate in isolation from the families and communities they are intended to serve.

With the committee now inaugurated, attention is expected to shift to identifying suitable host institutions, determining the resources required and developing recommendations that can inform possible implementation under TETFund’s 2027 Special Intervention.

If approved and effectively implemented, the initiative could represent a significant step towards strengthening specialised autism services, improving professional training, expanding locally relevant research and promoting more inclusive support systems for autistic individuals and their families across Nigeria.

For TETFund, the immediate task is to translate the proposed vision into a practical and sustainable framework capable of delivering measurable improvements in healthcare, research and institutional capacity across the six geopolitical zones.