Underscoring the necessity for all countries to support their most vulnerable citizens, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Thimphu in Bhutan on Wednesday said it is the responsibility of all to make sure adequate social and medical support for individuals with autism and neuro‐development disorders.

‘Governments should make policies and programmes to ensure that no individual is neglected. They deserve to have the opportunity to participate in their country’s economic growth,’ she said.

The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating a three‐day ‘International Conference on Autism and Nuero Developmental Disorders’ at the Royal Banquet Hall in Thimphu.

Bhutanese Prime Minister Dshao Tshering Tobgay also spoke at the inaugural session, kicked off with traditional Marchang ceremony of Bhutan.

Sheikh Hasina said, ‘Let’s commit ourselves to recognising their multi‐faceted talents beyond the diagnosis of the disorder and enable them to live life with dignity and hope in our inclusive society.’

She said no matter where on the spectrum they are, these individuals with ASD and NDDs deserve to live in dignity and be loved by people around them.

Hasina said without a systematic framework designed according to current scientific research on autism and other neuro‐developmental disorders, service delivery models cannot be effective, financially feasible, or sustainable in the long run.

She said sometimes, even well‐standardised programmes remain inaccessible to families living outside major urban cities and beyond their means.

‘Despite our commitments, there are no established guidelines or models to assist them,’ she said.

Hasina said all governments of the world should make policies and programmes to ensure that no individual is neglected.