World MS Day: Bringing the worldwide multiple sclerosis community together

The long-lasting disease affects brain, spinal cord and optic nerves in the eye

KARACHI: Five years ago, 46-year-old Amir Nizami woke up one morning with numbness in his right leg and hand. Little did he know he will lose the liberty to move freely for the rest of his life because he was suffering from a neurological disorder called multiple sclerosis (MS).

"I consulted a doctor and recovered in a week but after some time I suffered from another attack," Nizami recalled, adding that living with MS involves all kinds of challenges. MS is a long-lasting disease that can affect the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves in the eye. It can cause problems with vision, balance, muscle control and other basic body functions.



According to Dr Muhammad Wasay, a neurology professor at Aga Khan University Hospital, MS is a progressive disease but disability can be reduced if it is diagnosed and treated at an early stage. The disease mainly affects people between the ages of 15 and 35 years. He said that the disease is not genetic and anyone can suffer from it, however, the causes of MS are unknown. Some of the main symptoms include numbness and tingling in parts of the body, vision problems, balance, mobility issues and slurred speech.



Every year on May 25, World MS Day is observed to create awareness about the disease among the public. This year's theme is 'independence,' which shows how people with MS still carry on with their lives.

Daily life of a patient

Nizami said he cannot balance his body due to the disease, therefore he uses a cane to walk. However, he can still manage to walk, unlike 19-year-old Maimoona, who is wheelchair-bound for the last two years.

"I was in class eight when for the first time I complained to my parents about the loss of vision because I couldn't read from the whiteboard at school," Maimoona said. She was diagnosed with MS at the age of 13.



Talking to The Express Tribune, Maimoona's mother said when her daughter suffered an attack for the first time, doctors failed to diagnose the disease. "We consulted many doctors as we did not know what sort of disease she was suffering from. Sometimes after an attack she would remain unconscious for three to four days in a row," she said.

Speaking about the diagnosis of MS, Dr Wasay said this is a major issue in Pakistan. He added that general physicians cannot diagnose the disease and by the time patients consult neurologists, it is too late. He explained that around 5,000 to 10,000 people are suffering from the disease in Pakistan but only 700 to 800 people are diagnosed.

Heavy on the pockets 

Not only is the disease complicated to be diagnosed but its treatment is also out of reach for most. Patients are unable to afford the expensive treatment, due to which they become disabled, Dr Wasay said. Medicines for a month cost over Rs100,000, he said, adding that an ordinary person cannot afford this.

"Sometimes the disease is diagnosed at an early stage but patients do not continue treatment because they cannot afford it," said Dow University of Health Sciences neurology associate professor Dr Naila Naeem Shahbaz.  She added that the risk of disability increases if the treatment is discontinued.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2016.