Parkinson’s disease patients

Last Tuesday, April 11, was World Parkinson’s Day, a period set aside to create awareness of the disease. The day was hardly observed in any form in Ghana due to the inadequate knowledge of the condition.

Parkinson Disease (PD) is a progressive disorder that affects the nervous system and the parts of the body controlled by the nerves. Since the nervous system transmits signals between the brain and the rest of the body, the disease can negatively affect one’s ability to move and think.

The symptoms may differ from person to person, but they normally start with a slight tremor in the hand and a little bit of stiffness of parts of the body

Over time, the disease may slow one’s movement, making simple tasks difficult and time-consuming. Steps may become shorter when one walk. It may be difficult to get out of a chair. You may drag or shuffle your feet as you try to walk. Muscle stiffness may occur in any part of your body. The stiff muscles can be painful and limit your range of motion.

The disease can also lead to speech changes. One may speak softly, quickly, slur or hesitate before talking. Your speech may be more of a monotone rather than have the usual speech patterns.

Although it cannot be cured, medications may significantly improve one’s condition. Occasionally, healthcare provider may suggest surgery to regulate certain regions of a patient’s brain and improve on the symptoms. 

Living with the condition in Ghana is very challenging with patients facing enormous challenges. The first challenge is the limited number of caregivers in the country.  Primary care givers lack the requisite skills in the field, patients all over the country, therefore, have to travel to Accra and Kumasi to see neurosurgeons, a situation that causes financial and logistical burdens on the patients.

Affordability and availability of medicines are also major challenges. Lack of awareness is also a major challenge associated with the disease.

Many people, including even healthcare providers, are not well informed about it, with some people just classifying it as “normal ageing.”

The Daily Graphic calls on the government to come up with a policy that will cater for the needs of patients suffering from the disease. We believe that the National Health Insurance should be strengthened to support patients.  

As a country, we must also prioritise the training of more specialists’ medical professionals, such as neurosurgeons, to improve access and the quality of healthcare for PD patients 

Fortunately, a group of health professionals and patients have come together to form a group known as the Parkinson’s Disease Support Group Ghana to create an awareness of the disease. Led by a patient, Jarvis Djokoto, and Esinam Meek Djokoto-Neequaye, a Senior Pharmacist at the 37 Military Hospital, the group meet monthly to create awareness of the disease and also support those suffering from the condition.

The Daily Graphic commends the work of the support group and appeals to corporate Ghana to support their endeavours and also dedicate more resources to combating the disease.