There are around 4,000 people in Croatia who have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. This is according to data from the Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ). Experts warn that the number of people affected by such disorders is on the rise.

World Autism Awareness Day is an internationally recognised day that is celebrated every year on 2 April. The president of the Croatian Autism Association, Igor Ruzic, told Croatian news agency Hina that it is difficult to determine the exact data of people suffering from autism spectrum disorders, as diagnosing the disorders is difficult and patients are sometimes misdiagnosed as having some of these disorders.

Experts warn of cross-sectoral gaps and insufficient collaboration between experts from different fields that can address this problem.

Croatia will mark World Autism Awareness Day on Tuesday with a series of events in Zagreb and other cities.