At ADPF Symposium, Experts Call for Early Detection of Parkinson’s

By Vanessa Obioha

Health experts who spoke at the first Parkinson’s Disease Symposium by the Adewunmi Desalu Parkinson’s Foundation (ADPF) have called for the early detection of Parkinson’s disease to curb its prevalence in Nigeria.

Delayed diagnosis and misdiagnosis have been a challenge to detecting the disease which is a degenerative condition of the brain that is associated with motor and non-motor symptoms.

A consultant neurologist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Dr Ikechukwu Aganweze who made a presentation at the symposium emphasized the need to pay more attention to the non-motor symptoms as it could also lead to early demise of the patient or cause sudden death.

“There are other things you may not really see but the neurologist and close relatives could see. It can appear in psychological manifestation in the form of hallucinations or illusion, excessive sweating, urinary retention, hypertension and cognitive and sleep impairment,” he said.

“These symptoms can lead to alternative diagnosis and they will be misdiagnosed. You can see someone living with the disease for over five years and will be misdiagnosed for another disease. This is because they don’t have the right information,” he added, pointing out that there is a need for more research in the field.

Throwing more light on misdiagnosis, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of ADPF, Mrs Omorinsojo Desalu added that Parkinson’s is a spectrum and comes in different forms which is why it is important for people to always seek a second opinion after the first diagnosis.

Aganweze further stated that each diagnosis is individualised. He noted that a person’s age, family history, co-mobilities and current disability are taken into consideration during diagnosis. It is based on these that treatment can be administered because what works for patient A may not work for patient B.

Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the world. More than 10 million people in the world live with this disease and in Nigeria there are about 67 persons in every 100,000 living with the disease. It’s more common among the male gender. Its major risk factor is age (65 years and above) and also people whose brains have been exposed to harmful chemicals like manganese. However, there are people younger than 50 who have been diagnosed with the disease. For example, Mr Ufoma Emore, who is a member at the centre but was diagnosed seven years ago, just before he turned 40.

Emore during the panel session that tackled the gaps and solutions to the care and management of the disease said what he found intriguing was that he didn’t know many people who suffered from the disease in Nigeria.

For Mrs Deborah Ifeanyi, who was diagnosed in 2001, the disease was a major challenge at the initial stage since she could not walk and had difficulty in speech and sleep.

“I always worry each time my children are not around because I don’t know how to take care of myself.”
She added that since coming to the foundation she has realised the power of information.
“If you are not informed, you will be deformed. People will advise you to take one medicine or the other, some will tell you that you are going through the consequences of sin or some pastors will tell you that you are attacked by one enemy or the other, not knowing it’s just a disease that can affect anyone” she said.
Through the care of the Foundation, Mrs Ifeanyi can now move around, talk and do things for herself, although her tremors are still visible.

The symposium was an honour to the late Adewunmi Desalu who passed on in 2019 after a valiant battle with Parkinson’s. He was a renowned engineer and mathematician with a long career in the General Electrics company. The symposium also celebrated his 80th posthumous birthday.

The foundation which was established to keep his memory and raise awareness of the disease is committed to enhancing the well-being of people living with Parkinson’s disease in Nigeria.

“The symposium which will be held annually, is part of the foundation’s initiatives to raise awareness and improve care and support for individuals affected by Parkinson’s disease in Nigeria,” said ADPF’s Executive Director, Oluyemisi Adedayo.