JHAPA: Over 300 children are found suffering from autism in Jhapa district alone. Total 381 persons are found living with autism, out of which, over 300 are children.

Coordinator of an organization, Karuna Foundation, Nischal Ghimire, categorized the sufferers as 254 male children, 28 female children and 45 adult ones.

The Foundation had conducted a survey and identified such a huge number in 15 local levels across the district. The organization had identified the autism patients with the support from Ministry of Social Development in Koshi Province. Those identified with this health problem have been mainstreamed to health and education.

Similarly, there are 13,863 persons living with various sorts of disabilities in the district. The provincial ministry has been conducting disability prevention and rehabilitation programme for five years. The programme is run also in Ilam, Morang, Sunsari, Khotang, Bhojpur, Panchthar and Sankhuwasabha districts.

However, the disability rehabilitation programme has been running in Jhapa, Taplejung and Tehrathum districts since last year, according to coordinator Ghimire.

Nearly 100 persons suffering from vocal impairment are managed education at Mahendra Ratna Secondary School of Garamani, Birtamod and at another school of Damak. The concerned local levels have been providing therapies for free of cost to the autism sufferers.