More than 3000 people suffer from multiple sclerosis in Canary Islands
La multiple sclerosis (EM) affects 100 of each 100.000 people on the islands. This disease is one of the most common neurological disorders and cause of disability in young adults.
In the world there are 2,3 millions of people with MS. The majority of those affected by MS are diagnosed among the 25 and the 31 years of age, being the number of women affected twice that of men. Its causes are unknown and there is no cure for this disease, although there are many treatments to help affected people to improve their symptoms. In each person the symptoms are different, but some of the most common symptoms are blurred vision, fragile limbs, tingling sensation, instability, memory problems and fatigue.
Being a disease that is diagnosed at such an early age, the working life of those affected changes radically. Specifically, approximately half of the patients can continue to work 10 years after diagnosis.
For some people, the EM it is characterized by periods of remission and relapse (meaning that it improves for a while but then it can attack from time to time), while for others it has a progressive pattern (meaning that it gets worse steadily over time). Some people may feel healthy for many years after the diagnosis, while others may be seriously weakened very quickly. Above all, MS makes life unpredictable for everyone.
Approximately half of patients can continue to work 10 years after diagnosis
En Canary Islands, Tinerfeña Multiple Sclerosis Association (ATEM) and the Provincial Association of Multiple Sclerosis of Las Palmas (APEM) work in the search for a comprehensive and personalized treatment and, in turn, seek support for the people affected by promoting their self-determination and personal autonomy. In addition, he works actively in the prevention of the dependency situation. In this sense, the associations request the unification of the care protocols in the hospitals of Tenerife, and reduce the waiting times and the automatic recognition of the 33% disability.
Beyond health care, the Associations claim to the Government of Canary Islandsthe recognition of the 33% of minimum disability for all people who have been diagnosed with MS. This recognition not only supposes an economic aid but the subsidy to the daily therapies that the affected ones need. The problem is, and that is what the ATEM and the EMPA denounce, the Administration is granting only one 3% disability to many affected, since they consider it a disease that can be "cured". Both associations have stressed the importance that MS can affect any part of the body at any time.
In addition, another big problem we have in the Canaries are the long waiting lists. According to the latest data published by the Ministry of Health, referring to June of 2018, in the Archipelago There are 2.487 people waiting for a consultation in neurology. Furthermore, 73% of cases, health care after six months of waiting. What does this mean? We need more neurologists in Canary Islands. The reality is that the EM units are saturated and treatments are not being followed because Canary IslandsHealth Service does not give enough time.
Currently in the islands, for neurological assistance we have a unit in La Candelaria Hospital and in the rest of the hospitals there are neurologists who treat patients with this pathology. In the case of the islands of La Gomera and El Hierro there is no assistance.
