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Peru declares May 30 National Multiple Sclerosis Day
🇵🇪 Peru /Health & Science

Peru declares May 30 National Multiple Sclerosis Day

From La República · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement New plan
  • Peru's Congress has officially declared May 30 as National Multiple Sclerosis Day through Law N.° 32658.
  • The law aims to raise awareness of the disease and promote early detection, mandating triennial updates to clinical practice guidelines and annual reports from the Ministry of Health.
  • The initiative, supported by the Association Hecho con Amor – Esclerosis Múltiple Perú, seeks to place the disease on the public agenda and strengthen patient rights advocacy.

Peru's Congress has officially established May 30 as National Multiple Sclerosis Day, enacting Law N.° 32658 to increase visibility for the chronic neurological disease. The new legislation mandates that the Ministry of Health update its clinical practice guidelines for multiple sclerosis every three years and present an annual report to Congress detailing progress in patient access to medical services and treatments.

The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with regional and local governments, will also organize annual awareness activities to disseminate information about multiple sclerosis and emphasize the importance of timely diagnosis. This initiative was championed by the Association Hecho con Amor – Esclerosis Múltiple Perú, whose director, Germán Guajardo, highlighted its significance in bringing the disease to public attention and bolstering patient advocacy.

This date is of great importance because it will allow us to make visible the voice and defend the rights of patients with multiple sclerosis in the country.

— Germán GuajardoDirector of the Association Hecho con Amor – Esclerosis Múltiple Perú, explaining the significance of the newly declared National Multiple Sclerosis Day.

Guajardo stated that this designated day is crucial for amplifying the voices of patients with multiple sclerosis and defending their rights within the country. Multiple sclerosis is a degenerative disease affecting the central nervous system, typically appearing between the ages of 20 and 40. Without prompt treatment, it can lead to vision loss, intense fatigue, motor difficulties, cognitive impairments, and debilitating episodes.

A significant challenge for patients is the delayed diagnosis, as symptoms can mimic other conditions, often leading to prolonged journeys through various healthcare services before a definitive diagnosis is reached. "Detecting it early completely changes a prognosis, because it allows us to start therapies that will significantly delay neurological damage and preserve people's quality of life," Guajardo explained. While an exact count is unavailable, Guajardo estimates between 2,000 and 3,000 individuals in Peru live with multiple sclerosis.

Detecting it early completely changes a prognosis, because it allows us to start therapies that will significantly delay neurological damage and preserve people's quality of life.

— Germán GuajardoExplaining the critical importance of early diagnosis for multiple sclerosis patients.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La República in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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