Neglected area: Centres for psoriasis patients needed

Dermatologists say 20 per cent of the total skin patients in Pakistan suffer from psoriasis.

ISLAMABAD: Heath experts on Thursday called for support centres for the people suffering from psoriasis, a disease which causes skin to peel off in small rough red areas.

Speaking at a press briefing to mark the World Psoriasis Day, dermatologists said out of every 100 skin patients in Pakistan, at least 20 are suffering from psoriasis.

Dr Muneeza Rizwan, who is head of the dermatology department at PAF Hospital Islamabad, said around two to four per cent of the total population of Pakistan are currently affected by the disease.



Highlighting the lack of importance given to physiological and social challenges faced by psoriasis patients, Rehman stressed the need for developing dedicated psoriasis treatment centres at every government hospital.

“This is a skin deep disease and its physiological impacts can be very strong since the patients have to go through poor quality of life and social stigmas associated with the disease.

There have also been incidents of psoriasis patients committing suicide due to lack of social support as this is a lifelong disease which can become a burden for the family financially,” Rehman said.

Dr Afaq Ahmed, a dermatologist at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, said psoriasis is a relapsing disease which recurs throughout the life span of a patient. He said that an individual suffering from the disease develops red patches of dead and dry and flaky skin all over the body at random spots which can also get painful sometimes.



“Degree of the disease can vary from person to person since there are three categories in terms of mild, moderate, and severe,” he said. Ahmed said psoriasis is accompanied by other complications such as cardiovascular problems and arthritis.

Speaking of misconceptions associated with the disease, Dr Uzma Ali, a dermatologist at the Capital Development Authority Hospital, said psoriasis is not a contagious disease and does not spread through normal social interactions such as handshake or touching the affected area.

“Despite the disease being so commonly present, recognition and understanding of the disease is almost non-existent,” she said. Ali said although psoriasis cannot be cured it can be managed properly if the patient establishes better understanding of the disease and adjusts accordingly.

“There is a lot of quackery associated with skin diseases where false diagnosis is common which can exacerbate the problem”, she said.

Warning against self-management or self-treatment of the disease, Ali said that some patients create a lot of problems for themselves by using un-prescribed medicines suggested to them by quacks.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 30^th, 2015.