BY NIA NATASHA HASENAN AND NUR ASHIKIN LOUIS
KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg will declare open a One Stop Early Intervention Centre (Oseic) in Metro City, Matang on Oct 30.
Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said upon its opening, the centre will provide diagnosis, rehabilitation and intervention services for special needs children aged seven and below.
“Early diagnosis is very important, so we want to provide the facilities for parents of the special needs children. From there, they will be able to confirm the types of disabilities and necessary intervention can be provided.
“As a start, Oseic will be managed by the Society for Parents of Children with Special Needs (Pibakat) and focus will be given to children with autism and down-syndrome,” she said when officiating at a Children’s Day celebration held at Rumah Kanak-Kanak Toh Puan Hajah Norkiah, Mile 12 on Saturday.
Fatimah added that the establishment of Oseic would be followed with the setting up of a primary school for special needs children, which was announced by the chief minister on March 3 last year.
She said the establishment of the institution reflected the state’s inclusive policy in childhood development, apart from the endowment fund Sarawak (EFS) and the special annual grants (GTK) that the state had provided.
