ASHENEWS reports that the Chairman of the Education Committee of the International Parkinson’s Society and Movement Disorder Society (African section), Professor Ademola Oremosu, has raised concerns over the increase in the prevalence of Parkinson’s Disease in Nigeria.
Giving the keynote address titled ‘Movement disorder: Current Trends and Treatment approaches during the 21st Annual conference of the Neuroscience Society of Nigeria at Bingham University, Karu, Oremosu said that Nigeria has the highest prevalence of Parkinson’s Disease in sub-Saharan Africa.
The University Don noted that Parkinson’s Disease is a disease that affects all parts of the body and can be debilitating as the years go by, lamenting over the low information and awareness across Nigeria.
“In North America, South America, Asia and Europe, there is a lot of information about the disease, and information shows that it is slowing down in certain parts of Europe. However, in Nigeria, it is at about 51 to 100 per cent growth between now and 2030. We need to do something about it.
“Worldwide prevalence of Parkinson’s disease is 300 per 100,000 and one per cent in people over 60 years. In Nigeria, it is the highest, it is 50 to 90 per 100,000 persons.
“There is an increase in prevalence by 15 per cent in North Africa by 2019 while the crude prevalence of Parkinson’s Disease in Nigeria is 10 to 249 per 100,000, much lower than in Europe. The disease also affects more males than females”.
Oremosu who is a Professor of Anatomy at the Neuroscience Unit of the Department of Anatomy, University of Lagos urged people to look out for the early signs of Parkinson’s Disease calling on females who are growing older to opt for comfortable shoes rather than high heels as they are prone to falls from age 60 and above.
He stated that Neuroscience research is important if there is going to be an end to movement disorders, appealing to researchers to get out of their cocoon and do more mind-breaking research.
Oremosu further said that the management of movement disorders is mukti-disciplinary stating that no group walk in isolation as he called for collaboration from every discipline needed in managing movement disorders
