Daijiworld Media Network - Islamabad

Islamabad, Jun 7: Patients living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have voiced growing concerns over the soaring cost of treatment and the limited availability of advanced therapies for the debilitating neurological disorder. They have called on the government to introduce financial assistance programs to help young patients avoid preventable disabilities.

According to healthcare professionals, an estimated 12,000 to 14,000 people in Pakistan have been diagnosed with MS, although the absence of comprehensive national data makes it difficult to determine the true scale of the disease, local media reported on Sunday.

Medical experts noted that the yearly cost of managing MS can approach PKR 1 million per patient. While some individuals receive support through the provincial Sehat Card scheme, doctors and patient advocacy groups argue that the existing coverage falls short of actual treatment expenses. They also point out that many public hospitals lack access to modern disease-modifying therapies.

As a result, patients who cannot afford the remaining costs often discontinue treatment, a development neurologists warn can accelerate disease progression and lead to severe complications.

Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune disorder in which the body's immune system attacks the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms vary widely depending on the extent and location of nerve damage but commonly include vision impairment, chronic fatigue, mobility and balance difficulties, as well as weakness or numbness in the limbs.

Although the exact cause of MS remains unknown, experts believe that genetic factors and family history may increase an individual's susceptibility. While there is currently no cure for the condition, treatments can help manage symptoms, reduce the frequency of relapses, and improve overall quality of life, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Meanwhile, concerns over healthcare affordability have intensified following sharp increases in medicine prices across Pakistan. Reports from April indicated that the cost of various medicines surged in open markets and at Rawalpindi's Bohar Bazaar pharmaceutical hub, with some products witnessing price hikes ranging from 50 percent to as much as 500 percent.

Essential medications used to treat diabetes, hypertension, infections, digestive disorders, and respiratory illnesses have all become significantly more expensive. Notably, the price of an insulin injection device reportedly climbed from PKR 2,200 to PKR 4,720.

The steep rise in medication costs has drawn criticism from patient groups and health advocates, who describe the situation as unsustainable for low-income families. They warn that escalating prices are placing life-saving treatments beyond the reach of many vulnerable patients and have urged authorities to take immediate action to improve affordability and access.