Kurdistan Region Opens New Autism Treatment Center in Simele District
Kurdistan opens new public autism center in Simele, expanding care for 25+ children. Part of KRG's network of 43 centers serving 3,000+ diagnosed kids across Region, offering diagnosis & social integration programs.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) inaugurated a new public autism treatment center on Tuesday, in the Simele district, marking a significant step in the Region's ongoing efforts to expand healthcare services for children with special needs.
Salih Ghazi, the media officer for the Simele District Administration, told Kurdistan24 that the newly opened facility is designed to accommodate 25 children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
“We had a private center for autism in the district,” Ghazi said, “but now we have a modern, government-run center that eases the burden on families with children affected by autism.”
Ghazi explained that children aged between 4 and 12 are eligible to receive care at the center. “The children undergo an initial medical assessment by a healthcare team. Once diagnosed, they are referred to social supervisors who then proceed with their registration and treatment plan.”
The ultimate goal, Ghazi emphasized, is to provide children with comprehensive training that facilitates their integration into the society.
According to official records, over 3,000 children in the Kurdistan Region are currently diagnosed with autism. As part of its commitment to reducing the social and emotional toll on affected families, the KRG—under its ninth cabinet—has established 43 new autism treatment centers across the Region's cities.
The launch of the new center comes amid a sharp increase in autism diagnoses across the Kurdistan Region. On Apr. 2, 2025—World Autism Awareness Day—Kemal Jabari, head of the Kurdistan Autism Association, warned that the rate of autism is growing at an alarming pace.
“In 2008, one in every 150 births was diagnosed with autism,” Jabari said. “Today, it is one in every 90. If this trend continues, every household in Kurdistan could have at least one child with autism within the next 20 years.”
Jabari revealed that nearly half of all recorded cases are classified as severe and require long-term care and specialized education. He further noted the devastating impact on families: over 50 households have separated due to the pressures of raising an autistic child, and 80% of parents experience mental health issues.
Jabari has called on the KRG to provide more support for families, including financial stipends, housing aid, extended parental leave, improved education, and the creation of residential care facilities for older children with severe autism.
The opening of the new Simele center reflects the KRG’s continued prioritization of mental health and developmental support infrastructure, ensuring that vulnerable children receive the care and training they need to thrive within their communities.
