Experts seek support for multiple sclerosis patients

Members of The Nerve of My Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, Onigbongbo LCDA representatives and MS patients... Photo: The Nerve of my MS Foundation.

Experts and stakeholders have called for urgent government intervention, increased awareness, and improved access to care for people living with multiple sclerosis, a chronic neurological condition, as cases remain underdiagnosed in Nigeria. The call was made during a joint advocacy and sensitisation programme organised by The Nerve of My Multiple Sclerosis in collaboration with the Onigbongbo Local Council Development Area, Ikeja, Lagos State. In a statement signed on Thursday by the founder of the group, Mrs Nathalie Busari, the organisation said the programme aimed to educate residents and reduce stigma surrounding the disease, noting that four survivors attended physically while nine others joined virtually to share their experiences. Speaking at the event, Ms Oyefunso Orenuga, a Nigerian representative of the organisation and a PhD student in Community Health Nursing at the University of Ibadan, said her research focuses on developing culturally tailored support systems for patients. “My interest is in developing a culturally tailored psychoeducational programme that will help MS survivors cope and live a better quality of life. Multiple sclerosis can pull you down. It affects you emotionally and can affect every part of your body,” she said. She stressed that beyond medication, patients require strong social and community support. “It is not only drugs that can help you cope. Sometimes you feel fatigued and tired. You need support from family, community, and society to manage the condition effectively,” she added. Orenuga explained that the initiative incorporates indigenous approaches to address misconceptions about the disease. “Many people still believe it is spiritual or caused by ‘village people’. We are using culturally relevant tools like proverbs and local expressions to disabuse their minds and encourage them to seek medical help,” she said. She further highlighted the stigma faced by patients, recounting how some are ridiculed in public. “One of the survivors shared how people laughed at her in the market, asking if she was drunk because of how she walked. These experiences can be humiliating, but with awareness and support, patients can live meaningful lives,” she said. Related News Cholera: Children worst hit as 5,260 cases, 67 deaths recorded Ebola: NCDC seeks increased state funding for prevention measures Gas leak: 69 hospitalised Ogun students discharged as probes continue According to h