“A diagnosis for autism patients will not be changed after age 18 and they will be recognized by this diagnosis lifelong,” Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Azerbaijan Matin Karimli told Report.
He recalled that at present legislation includes criteria on the definition of disability: “Those with limited health abilities are diagnosed with autism until the age of 18. After that age, they are not considered as people with limited health capabilities and are diagnosed with different diseases. It affects the lives of those people, such people are not hired in labor market, and this situation prevents them from finding their place in society.”
Karimli noted that it was decided to make changes in existing criteria and a new bill is prepared. “According to the bill, people with autism will not be further set a different diagnosis after the age of 18 and will be registered with that disease. At present, many issues are being discussed with the Ministry of Health. In the future, autism patients will get a lifelong registration with this diagnosis. This will change the approach to those people. “