Pakistan: Multiple Sclerosis patients express concern over rising cost of treatment
Islamabad, June 7
Patients suffering from Multiple Sclerosis in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have expressed concerns over the increasing price of treatment as well as the lack of access to advanced treatment for the chronic neurological disease and have requested the government to provide financial support to young people who are at risk of preventable disability, local media reported on Sunday.
Doctors have estimated that there are 12,000-14,000 MS-diagnosed patients in Pakistan, though comprehensive national data is not available, Pakistani daily The Express Tribune reported.
Medical experts have said that annual treatment expenses can reach nearly Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 1 million per patient. Some of the patients use the provincial Sehat Card programme for treatment; however, doctors and patient advocates have said that the coverage amount is not adequate to meet the full cost of the treatment, and public hospitals do not have modern therapies. Patients who are not able to get complete funding are often forced to stop their therapy, a situation that neurologists have said can lead to rapid disease progression.
MS is a condition that happens when the immune system targets the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms of MS are different from person to person and depend on the location and severity of nerve fibre damage. These often include vision problems, tiredness, trouble walking and keeping balance, and numbness or weakness in the arms and legs.
The causes of MS are not known, but a family history of the disease may increase the risk. There is no cure for MS; however, treatment can reduce symptoms, prevent further relapses and improve quality of life, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Meanwhile, in April, prices of medicines increased in the open market and the pharmaceutical hub of Bohor Bazaar in Pakistan's Rawalpindi, with prices rising from 50 per cent to as high as 500 per cent, local media reported.
Prices of essential medicines, including those for diabetes and hypertension, antibiotics, gastrointestinal conditions, and coughs, have increased. The price of an insulin injection device in the open market has increased from Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 2,200 to PKR 4,720, The Express Tribune reported.
Critics have termed the increase "unbearable", stressing that insulin devices reaching between PKR 2,000 and PKR 5,000 deprive patients with low-income to access essential treatment and have urged the government to intervene.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The medicine price hike of 50-500% is alarming! Insulin devices going from PKR 2,200 to 4,720 is criminal. This is a regional issue - we in India also see similar inflation in drug prices. Governments must regulate pharmaceutical companies.
Imagine being young and facing preventable disability because treatment costs PKR 1 million per year. The Sehat Card program seems insufficient. India's Ayushman Bharat faces similar gaps. We need regional cooperation on affordable healthcare.
While I'm critical of Pakistan's policies often, health issues transcend borders. MS patients there deserve better access to modern therapies. Public hospitals lacking advanced treatment is a failure of governance, just like in parts of India.
The fact that 12,000-14,000 MS patients lack comprehensive data shows how neglected this disease is. My aunt has MS and we struggle with costs even in India. Feeling for our neighbours across the border. Stay strong, everyone. ❤️
First, the political tensions, now this. Common people in Pakistan are suffering from economic mismanagement and inflation. MS treatment becoming unaffordable is a human tragedy. I hope South Asian nations learn from each other on healthcare.
M Meera T As a doctor, We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.