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Multiple and very treacherous This is what they discussed in the city of Volgograd that became a centre of struggle with multiple sclerosis (MS) over several days. In late September, with the support of the Council of MS Centres at the All-Russian Neurologist Society, there was held a school training on MS for neurologists of practical healthcare; it was also a venue to convene for plenipotentiary public experts of the All-Russian Public Organisation of Disabled People with multiple sclerosis (All-Russian MS Society).   
Well, what is exactly multiple sclerosis? This is the severest disease known among those of the central nervous system. This is the malady of the young and good-looking. For information: there are 130,000 people with MS in Russia. 78% - women under 50. 35%, i.e. 27,000 people – under 35. 6% - children aged 10-15. 80% - people with higher education (Bachelor’s and Master’s). Over the last years, the number of young people with MS has grown substantially who come from student environment after the spring session. 70% of families break up following someone develops MS there. 75% of PwMS get severe disabilities unless treated and cared for adequately. 29% of PwMS have not gone out for over a year. It is particularly worrying that the situation increasingly deteriorates; the estimations of experts of the Neurology Research Institute at the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (RAMS) suggest that on average MS incidence grows by 7% annually being fed mostly by students.
The criteria to diagnose MS, ways to recognize MS at early stages, the latest trends in researching pathogenetic methods to treat MS, advanced therapeutic interventions, rights and obligations of patients and physicians, ethical concerns of diagnostics and treatment: These and numerous other issues were tackled and discussed by Russian neurologists and activists of the All-Russian MS Society during the workshops and master classes.  According to Olga Bykova, PhD, neurologist of the Research Children Health Centre at RAMS, who has been engaged in treating children with MS for over 12 years, it is at early stages of MS development when therapeutic interventions are most effective.
MS as a problem is one of the most topical in neurology of today. However, as professor, MD, director of the Moscow MS Centre, Aleksei Boiko argues, the progress in researching pathogenesis and ways of treatment in MS is a substantial achievement in neurology. Natalia Totolyan, MD, the professor of the Neurology Department at the S.-Petersburg State Medical University told her colleagues about MRI scanning diagnostic facility and its input in controlling the efficacy of treatment for MS.  Yan Vlasov, MD, the President of the All-Russian MS Society that represents 70,000 people, revealed social aspects of MS for his colleagues.
The programme of workshops for neurologists was coming closely together with the major subject for the School of Plenipotentiary Public Experts. Creating conditions to improve the quality of life of Russian citizens suffering from multiple sclerosis is the central mission of the All-Russian MS Society. To do exactly this, the Organisation initiates, accumulates and coordinates the activities of general public, government and professionals. How to provide people with MS with quality medical and social assistance being the main problems and ways to resolving them were the issues for principal neurologists and communities representatives, who play an active role in life, to convene in this beautiful city on the Volga River. Plenipotentiary Public Expert in the Rostov region Alla Sugonyayeva |
