ZAGREB, June 16, 2019 - Rain Man is the name of a humanitarian race that will be held on the Sava river embankment in Zagreb on July 2, and the money raised will go to the Autism Centre for adults with autism, organisers have said, inviting runners and people from all over Croatia to participate.

The 5-kilometre race will also mark World Sports Journalists Day, which is celebrated on July 2.

The race was named after the 1988 film "Rain Man" starring Dustin Hoffman, which raised awareness of autism in adults.

The significance of the race lies in the fact that humanitarian drives for adults and elderly people with autism are rare, organisers said.

"It doesn't matter if you run fast or slow, it doesn't matter if you run or just walk. What matters is that you help," said psychologist Boris Jokić.

Autism Centre director Žarka Klopotan said the objective of the race was to draw public attention to the needs of adults with autism, give them a bigger place in society and try to meet some of their needs.

The programme of the Centre covers 111 adults with very complex communication, social and health needs, she added.

More news about autism can be found in the Lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, April 2, 2019 - The federation of autism associations (SUZAH) on Tuesday organised a release of blue balloons in Zagreb's main square as well as in a few more Croatian cities to mark the twelfth annual World Autism Awareness Day, observed on April 2, and on that occasion activists underscored that an estimated 12,000 Croatians suffer from developmental disorders characterized by difficulties with social interaction and communication and by restricted and repetitive behaviour.

According to the Croatian Public Health Institute, there are 3,000 autistic persons in Croatia, but the associations insist that their estimates indicate that this number is much higher -- about 20,000 people have non-specific disorders related to the disease.

Nowadays one out of 65 new-born babies are affected by medical conditions related to the disease, SUZAH underscores.

The federation warns that Croatia still does not have platforms for systematic care for people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, and there is a lack of highly trained staff to treat autism-related medical conditions, SUZAH leader Lidija Penko said at a round table discussion which was held in Zagreb today.

Last week, Health Minister Milan Kujundžić received representatives of the associations to reassure them that his ministry would try to improve healthcare for autistic patients.

Public buildings are going to be illuminated in blue lights this evening on the occasion of World Autism Awareness Day.

More news about autism in Croatia can be found in the Lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, March 28, 2019 - Representatives of autism associations gathered outside the government building on Thursday to warn about the problem of inadequate care for persons with autism demanding the establishment of a task force to include representatives of the relevant ministry and parents and caretakers of autistic persons.

The president of the Croatian Autism Federation, Lidija Penko, told the press that parents and caretakers of persons with autistic disorders need a platform to resolve problems that have piled up in the care system.

According to the Croatian Public Health Institute, there are 3,000 autistic persons in Croatia, but our estimates indicate that this number is much higher – about 20,000 people have non-specific disorders related to the illness, Penko said.

Previous assessments show one in 100 people are autistic, however, according to more recent figures one in 60 people have autism, Penko said adding that one in four boys are autistic.

She also underscored that a new autistic centre was opened in Osijek.

Health Minister Milan Kujundžić, who received representatives of associations, promised on Thursday his ministry would try to improve the health care conditions for autistic patients.

More health news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, March 5, 2019 - The Autism Centre, built and equipped with funds from the local and state budgets, was opened in the eastern city of Osijek on Tuesday.

Opening the centre, which cost more than 20 million kuna (2.7 million euro), Demography, Family, Youth and Social Policy Minister Nada Murganić said that the purpose of the centre was to enable the integration of children with autism-related disorders into the education system and provide autistic adolescents with other social services and help in their social integration.

She noted that there was a shortage of professionals specialising in work with children with autistic disorders.

Science and Education Minister Blaženka Divjak said that there were currently around 30,000 students with disabilities in the primary and secondary school system and that around 87% of them attended school regularly.

Divjak said that the Osijek centre provided pre-school and primary education.

The centre's head, Sandra Zlatarić, said that a total of 26 children currently attended the centre's activities.

She said that the opening of the centre was of historic importance because until now there had been no systematic care for persons with autism-related disorders in Osijek and the Slavonia region.

Osijek-Baranja County head Ivan Anušić said that the centre would provide services not only for children from Slavonia and elsewhere in Croatia but also from some of the neighbouring countries.

More news on the health issues in Croatia can be found in the Lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, April 3, 2018 - Balloons carrying the slogan "Autism 12,000", which is the number of people estimated to be suffering from autism in Croatia, were released on Tuesday in Zagreb's downtown Cvjetni Square to mark World Autism Awareness Day, with civil society organisations stating that they no longer wish to do the state's work.

Croatia marks the World Autism Awareness Day.