MS patient registry will help improve quality, treatment goals: AIIMS

New Delhi, May 29 : All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) will be mobilising efforts towards the creation of India specific data at the national level to solve Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and related diseases and provide better lives for those who are suffering from the debilitating disease.

Addressing a press conference on the eve of World Multiple Sclerosis Day Head of the Department, Neurology, AIIMS, Prof Madhuri Behari said, "There is a need for better understanding and medications to prevent progression and disability." The AIIMS is keen to set up a National MS Registry for maintenance of epidemiological data of MS patients from across the country for evidence based research, treatment, and education, she said.

She added that since 2011, the Department of Neurology has also begun collecting data of MS patients undergoing counselling and treatment at AIIMS on the basis of their demographic profile, medical conditions, quality of life, disability stage and post treatment outcome.

Ahead of the World MS day, Additional Professor of Neurology, AIIMS, Dr Rohit Bhatia said the neurology centre at AIIMS today is seeing more patients residing in tier I and tier II cities from across the country.

"Therefore efforts are being made to collect the data and understand the disease from an Indian perspective, which as of now, is not the case as the disease is considered more predominant in the western countries and often called 'White men's disease'." Also present on the occasion Multiple Sclerosis Society of India (MSSI) National Secretary Bipasha Gupta said the Society has taken an initiative to obtain statistics of such cases.

"A three year national MSSI 'Reaching Out' pilot project has been initiated since February 2012 across cities in Uttar Pradesh to gather more data on MS patients," she said adding "The final structured project will be implemented in all other states of India in the coming years." As against the popular myth about the disease doctors are confident that MS patients can live longer and healthier if it is timely diagnosed and effectively managed.

According to Dr M V Padma, Professor, Neurology, AIIMS the availability of more diagnostic centres with MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) facility is proving to be a boon for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients for whom the disease can otherwise be extremely difficult to be diagnosed.

"Early diagnosis and treatment can slow disease progression and minimize associated disability, particularly because the condition can cause irreversible damage," she maintained. (UNI)

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MS patient registry will help improve quality, treatment goals: AIIMS