Accra, June 19, GNA - Health experts say autoimmune diseases are becoming prevalent in Ghana and there is the need to give sufferers adequate care and support.

The disease has been found to affect more women in Ghana (about 70 per cent) than men due to the role of sex hormones with the estrogen being speculated to promote the production of auto-antibodies. It is known to be the fourth largest cause of death in women worldwide.

Autoimmune diseases result when the body immune system begins to attack normal tissue cells and organs thereby causing chronic acute disease like multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosis and certain types of diabetes. This came to light at the launch in Accra on Thursday of Sharecare Ghana, a non-governmental organization, which is made up of a group of people with rare neuro-immunological diseases. The organization, which started in 2006, now includes people with autoimmune conditions such as transverse myelitis, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, neuromyelitis, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

At the launch, Dr Ida Kuwornu, a physician specialist at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in a lecture named symptoms and signs of the disease as malaise, fatigue, rashes, hair loss, febrile illness, recurrent miscarriages, visual impairment, joint swellings, memory loss, strokes and limb weakness.

She said there was no known treatment for the condition as it could only be managed through various tests, treatment and physiotherapy. Dr Michael F. Ofori, Immunologist, Nogochi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, said though the availability of data on the prevalence and incidence was lacking in developing countries, physicians and scientists had so far identified over 80 different autoimmune diseases including less known ones like autoimmune hepatitis, Sjogren's syndrome and pemphigus.

He said economically, majority of individuals with the diseases experienced poor quality of life since the cost of health care was high. Dr Albert Akpalu, one of the only two Neurologists in active service in Ghana, advised anyone who experienced unexplainable blurred vision twice on separate occasions to quickly report to the hospital for possible investigations since it could lead to an autoimmune disease. He stressed the need for training more neurologists and rheumatologists, so they could help treat such patients in the country. Nana Yaa Agyeman, Coordinator, Sharecare Ghana, said being a sufferer herself, she decided to form the support group to share experiences, create awareness among the public about diseases and advocate for subsidized long-term drug treatment. She said as a result of the disease, many of them had become disabled so there was the need for the early inauguration of the National Council on Persons with Disability "so it could start taking some long over-due decisions". She also called for the inclusion of autoimmune conditions and care system under the national health insurance scheme. Major Courage Quarshigah (Rtd) in a speech read on his behalf by Alhaji Muniru Mohammed Musini, Deputy Director at the Ministry, said though there was no current separate policy and programme specific to autoimmune diseases, government policy on such disorders fell within the overall policy goals and strategies. He said autoimmune disorders as a group were not specifically covered by NHIS, but most of the associated illnesses were covered by the health insurance.