‘Only 50 hospitals in Pakistan have qualified neurologists’

As world marks Multiple Sclerosis Day 2016, experts lament
lack of diagnostic and treatment facilities in country

Karachi

Multiple Sclerosis (MS), considered a rare neurological disorder, is afflicting a growing number of youngsters in Pakistan due to a pervasive lack of diagnostic and treatment facilities at district hospitals of the country. 

It is because of these shortcomings that only 5,000 to 10,000 people have been diagnosed with MS so far, of which, hardly 10 percent would be receiving proper care. 

“There are only 50 hospitals – both public and private – throughout Pakistan which have qualified neurologists who can diagnose neurological diseases such as MS,” according to Dr Muhammad Wasey, president of the Neurology Awareness and Research Foundation (NARF). 

MS is an autoimmune disease – a malady caused by the body’s own immune system – and a neurological disorder that attacks the central nervous system and can cause significant damage.

As per Dr Wasey, an estimated 250,000 Pakistanis are suffering from the neurological disorder, a figure that is significantly lower than global counterparts in the Middle East, East Asia and neighbouring countries.

Speaking at a press conference held on Tuesday, the eve of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Day 2016 which is being observed across the globe on May 25 (today), he said, “We sincerely urge the government to ensure that at least one trained and qualified neurologist is appointed for every district and teaching hospital in the country.” 

In Pakistan, he added, most MS patients were found in the country’s northern areas, a factor he attributed to extreme weather conditions and environmental factors. 

Dr Wasey also spoke about the high costs of treatment in the country, stating that the price put it beyond reach for the common people. “The treatment cost ranges between Rs50,000 to Rs100,000 rupees per month, a figure that proves too much for our average citizen,” he said.

Symptoms 

Explaining the symptoms of MS, Dr Wasey said they could vary from patient to patient. 

“The most common early symptoms of MS are fatigue, vision problems, tingling and numbness, vertigo and dizziness, muscle weakness and spasms, problems with balance and coordination,” he informed. 

The lesser common symptoms include speech and swallowing problems, cognitive dysfunction difficulty with walking, bladder and bowel dysfunction, sexual dysfunction, mood swings and depression.

At the press conference, NARF also launched a DVD containing awareness material on neurological disorders and urged the print and electronic media to play its due role in this regard.